Villanova Basketball Opponent Capsule: MD-Eastern Shore Fighting Hawks

We continue our exploration and introduction of Villanova's 2014-15 opponents. Up next, the MD-Eastern Shore RPI Killers Fighting Hawks!

Last Season: It wasn't pretty, as the Fighting Hawks went 6-24 overall and just 4-12 in the MEAC where they finished at the bottom of the conference standings.

Last Meeting/All-Time Series: This will be the first time the two schools meet.

Head Coach: Bobby Collins will take the reigns of the UMES program, coming over from Division II Winston-Salem State. Prior to that he was the head coach at Hampton and was named the MEAC Coach of the Year in 2005. Collins' teams historically favor a high-tempo, fast-break style of offense, though it would be a surprise if he opted for that strategy when he takes on Villanova.

Top Returners: Former JUCO transfer Kyree Jones scored to the tune of 13.4 ppg, though he's quite prone to falling in to gunner mode from the outside. Issac Smith III returns to join Jones, where he'll likely be asked to be the primary distributor during offensive sets.

Key Losses: Last year's leading scorer, freshmen guard Hakeem Baxter, transferred to UAB during the offseason. Forward Troy Snyder and his team-leading 6.7 rpg will be missed. He was also the third-leading scorer at 12.6 ppg. Nigerian Francis Ezeiru's graduation robs Collins of the tallest player on his roster, and a solid contributor.

Key Additions: UMES will welcome six new players to the fold this season - JUCO transfer Devin Martin will be joined by 2-star prospects Isaac Sutton, Will Tibbs, Ryan Andino, Stephen Spurlock and Jaiquan Manning.