Men's Basketball | 11/22/2014 7:55:00 PM
LIVE STATSLIVE VIDEOBALTIMORE – The Coppin State University mens basketball tour of America concludes Sunday when the Eagles face the University of Denver for the first-time in program history.
LAST TIME OUT: Three Coppin State players scored in double figures during its 104-67 loss to the University of Notre Dame in a non-conference contest at the Purcell Pavilion Wednesday night. For the second time in three games on this road trip,
Arnold Fripp led Coppin State in scoring. Fripp led the Eagles on this road trip with a 12.3 point per game average. He finished with 14 points.
Sterling Smith added a season-high 12 points on a quartet of 3-pointers for the Eagles.
Taariq Cephas chipped in with a season-high 11 points for Coppin State.
ABOUT DENVER: The Pioneers suffered their first loss of the season, 78-62,on the road to St. Mary's Thursday night. The Pioneers were led by senior guard Cam Griffin, who scored a career-high 19 points. Griffin also added eight rebounds and five assists. Freshman Daniel Amigo and senior Brett Olson added 10 points each. Denver had 19 assists on 24 made baskets.
Entering their second season in the Summit League, the Pioneers return nine players from a team that went 16-15 and 8-6 in conference play. A returning first-team All-Summit selection, Olson was picked as Summit League Preseason Player of the Year. DU was picked to finish second in the Summit League by conference coaches, media and SIDs.
TIME TRAVELERS: The contest against Denver marks the final game of Coppin State's unique four-game road trip through every time zone in the contiguous United States. The Eagles have played in the Pacific (Oregon), Central (Illinois), and Eastern (Notre Dame) time zones already. Denver is in the Mountain Time Zone.
ROUGH ROAD: Coppin State starts the season by playing seven of its first eight games on the road.
STERLING REGAINS TOUCH: After going 0-of-6 in his first two games against Oregon and Illinois, junior
Sterling Smith scored 12 points for the Eagles against Notre Dame. Smith is the Eagles' leading returning scorer from last season. He averaged 10.9 points per game and led Coppin State with 60 3-pointers.This season, 13 of his 14 shot attempts have been 3-pointers.
FOR STARTERS: Coppin State used a different starting lineup in its third game against Notre Dame. The Eagles started
Lawrence Fejokwu and
Sterling Smith in place of
Brandon St. Louis and
Dallas Gary.
PLENTY IN RESERVE: Coppin State's energetic duo of sophomore
Christian Kessee and senior
Jahvari Josiah have combined for 61.4 percent of the Eagles' bench scoring in their first three games. They have scored 51 points this season. Josiah opened the season with consecutive 11 point games against Oregon and Illinois. He is shooting 50 percent (12-for-24) and averaging 9.8 points per game for the Eagles. Kessee scored a career-high 11 points against Illinois.
NEXT: Coppin State is off for a week before returning home to host Division II Goldey-Beacom in its home opener on Monday, December 1 beginning at 7:30 p.m. That will be a Blue Out game as all fans are asked to wear blue.
