COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Hartford women's basketball team held UMES without a point for more than 10 minutes and an eventual season low for an opponent in a 53-38 win over the MEAC foe on Friday in the opening round of the Terrapin Classic. The Hawks (9-3 overall) advance to take on the #9 ranked Maryland Terrapins on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

The Hawks were led by senior Nikkia Smith who came off the bench to score a game-high 14 points on 3-of-5 shooting and 7-of-7 at the free throw line. Fellow classmate Daphne Elliott finished as the only other Hawk in double figures with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting, including a pair of three's, and 2-of-2 at the free throw line.

As a team, the Hawks finished the game shooting 32.6 percent from the field on 15-of-46, including 5-of-25 (24 percent) from beyond the three point arc. Hartford also capitalized on 21 fouls against UMES with a 17-of-24 (70.8 percent) performance at the free throw line.

Hartford also won the battle of the boards with a 43-41 margin, just the second time this season the Hawks have outrebounded their opponent. Freshman Katie Roth led Hartford with 10 boards, a season high for all players and the first double digit rebounding performance for Hartford in 2012-13.

The Hawks opened up the game scoring the first 10 points unanswered, holding UMES without a basket for the first 10 minutes. In that stretch UMES missed their first 10 shots and turned the ball over four times. Hartford's first points of the game came off the opening tip, a three pointer from Elliott just 14 seconds into the action.

Following a 12-5 spread in favor of Hartford, the Hawks next three baskets, eight points, all came from Smith spread over a two minute span. Those eight points vaulted her into double figures as she led all players in the opening half with 10 points. Included in her eight point stretch was a three pointer and an old fashioned three point play that sandwiched a layup from UMES' Shawnee Sweeney.

After Smith's second three point play provided a 20-11 advantage, the Hawks gave up the next four points with UMES pulling within five, 20-15 with 4:50 to play. After a timeout for Hartford, the Hawks went on to end the half with six straight points and a 26-15 lead at the break.

Coming out of the intermission senior Alex Hall put her first points on the board with a three pointer 39 seconds into the half. After allowing the next four points to UMES, the Hawks would go on to score nine of the next 11 points to take a 38-21 lead with 11:46 remaining. The final two buckets in that run came as back-to-back three pointers from Alyssa Englert and Elliott.

UMES then scored the next four points on back-to-back layups from Taylor Thompson and Sha-Kiyla Finney before another three pointer from Englert broke up the mini run. Following a free throw from UMES' Jessica Long, the Hawks rattled off four straight to reach its largest advantage of the afternoon 45-26 with 5:45 remaining. The final bucket of the run for Hartford came on a fast break layup from Elliott.

UMES then scored 10 of the next 12 points to pull within 11, 47-36, before a pair of free throws from Smith broke the momentum. UMES would score just two more points in the contest on a pair of free throws from Karona Roach with Elliott and Smith capitalizing at the free throw line in the final 76 seconds.