DURHAM, N.C. – Laila Lawrence put up a double-double 20 points and 18 rebounds, leading Coppin State's women's basketball team to a 63-53 victory at North Carolina Central University on Saturday afternoon at McDougald-McLendon Arena. With the win, Coppin improved to 15-9 overall and 6-2 in the MEAC while NC Central fell to 6-17 on the year and 3-5 in conference play.
Checking the Box Score
- Lawrence led all players with 20 points and 18 rebounds while making 5-of-11 field goals, including a 3-pointer, and 9-of-10 from the line. She added two assists, a block and a steal.
- Angel Jones was the only other Coppin player in double figures with ten points, along with four rebounds, five assists, a block and six steals.
- Niyah Gaston and Dani McTeer followed with eight points apiece as Cire Worley added seven.
- Tiffany Hammond and Mickelle Lowry chipped in five points each with both hitting a three.
- NC Central outshot Coppin, 36.5% to 31.8%, but Coppin did not allow Central to hit a 3-pointer while making 15-of-18 from the line compared to 7-of-14 for Central.
- Coppin outrebounded Central, 52-34 and scored 16 second-chance points.
How it Happened
- Buckets by Lawrence and McTeer gave Coppin the early edge, but after Central tied the score at four, Gaston hit back-to-back threes at the 4:52 mark.
- Central closed the period on an 11-0 run and hit a layup to open to the second to take a 17-10 lead with 9:47 left in the second.
- Coppin scored the next seven points, which included a layup from Jones and a three by Lawrence to tie the score with 8:08 remaining.
- Hammond buried a three with just under five minutes left in the half, giving Coppin back the lead, and the teams traded the lead multiple times before a layup by McTeer closed the period with Coppin on top, 28-27.
- Lawrence opened the third quarter with a putback and Coppin led by as many as 43-35 in the period on another tip-in by Lawrence.
- Central made it a one-possession game on three separate occasions in the fourth, but Coppin pulled away in the closing minutes with a 10-3 run.
- Lawrence hit 5-of-6 free throws in the final two minutes but the dagger came on a three by Lowry with 24 seconds to play, extending Coppin's advantage to 59-51.
- Lowry also hit two free throws with 15 seconds remaining, following a quick layup by Central.
Up Next: Coppin returns to action on Monday, February 17 in a 5:30 tipoff at South Carolina State.
