Delaware State trimmed a 17-point first half deficit to three midway through the second half, but couldn’t complete the comeback in a 74-65 loss to UMES at the Hychte Center Saturday.

The Hornets dropped their second straight game to fall to 7-22 overall and 5-9 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference this season. The Hawks snapped a five-game losing streak to improve to 9-21 and 6-9. UMES also avenged a 75-71 loss at Delaware State on Feb. 13.

Freshman guard Devin Morgan was high scorer for DSU with 20 points, tying for game-high honors. Morgan was six-for-nine from the field, including four-of-seven on three-point shots. He has scored 51 points in the last two games, hitting 16-of-28 shots from the floor (.571), nine-of- 16 from beyond the arc (.563) and 10-of-11 at the free throw line (.909) during the span.

DeAndre Haywood was the only other Delaware State player in double figures with 16 points in the game.

Dominique Elliot led four double-figure scorers for UMES with 20 points. Thomas Rivera came off the bench to add 14 points, while Ryan Andino and Derrico Peck had 12 each for the Hawks.

The Hornets led 8-7 before UMES took control of the game.

Elliot capped off a 14-3 run with a basket on a jumper to give the Hawks a 21-11 lead at the 12:46 mark of the first half.

UMES opened up its biggest lead of the game on the strength of a 12-3 first half rally. The Hawks led 33-16 after a bucket by Mark Blackmon with 7:09 to go before halftime.

Delaware State answered with a run of its own to get back into the game. The Hornets scored 16 of the next 21 points, and pulled to within 38-32 on a lay-up by Haywood with 1:08 left in the half.

Rivera hit a three-pointer just before the half to give UMES a 41-32 lead at the break.

UMES shot 57.7 percent from the floor (15-26), compared to 44 percent for Delaware State (11-25) in the half.

The teams traded baskets early in the second half, but Todd Hughes and Joseph Lewis hit back-to-back buckets to cut the Hawks’ lead to three. The lay-up by Lewis pulled the Hornets within 51-48 with 10:54 left to play.

Delaware State trailed 56-52 after a rebound and lay-up by Morgan at the 7:28 mark of the second half.

Elliott hit a lay-up and Rivera converted a four-point play on a free throw after being fouled on a three-point shot to stretch the Hawks’ lead to 62-52 with 6:01 left to play.

The Hornets could get no closer than eight points the rest of the way.

UMES was 21-for-31 at the free throw line, while the Hornets attempted 15 free throws, hitting 10.

WOMEN, UMES 54, Delaware State 49: In what was a game that did not see much offense, the Delaware State women’s basketball team (8-19, 5-9 MEAC) outscored the UMES Hawks (11-16, 9-6 MEAC) 20-19 in the final 10 minutes, but the Lady Hornets could not overcome a 8-for-33 (.242) offensive effort in the first half to fall 54-49 on the road Saturday afternoon.

With this loss, the Hornets dropped their second straight, in addition to suffering their third consecutive road defeat. Despite only shooting 39 percent (17-of-44), including a 0-for-10 output from long distance, the Hawks churned out their fifth victory in a row, which began with a 70-61 comeback win at DSU on Feb. 13.