Coppin State heading across town to meet Towson

Men's Basketball | 12/2/2014 3:10:00 PM

GAME NOTES (PDF)

BALTIMORE – Towson and Coppin State renew acquaintances Wednesday night at the SECU Arena beginning at 7:00 p.m.
 
This is a rivalry that sometimes gets lost or overlooked. It's actually one of the best Division I mid-major games on the early season calendar. Fans are being treated to an early Christmas gift as the Tigers (6-1) and Eagles (1-4) are meeting for a fifth straight season.
 
HEAD COACH MICHAEL GRANT ON THE TOWSON MATCHUP
"I think it'll be a great game. I think that being on the road again, we have to make sure have to take care of the basketball and rebound."
 
INTERNET RADIO COVERAGE
Heritage Sports Radio Network (HSRN) with Lamont Germany, Jim Heilmann and Kelvin Bridgers on the call from SECU Arena.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Towson leads 7-5 after defeating Coppin State 81-79 last season at the PEC Arena. Prior to that setback, CSU had won two straight games against Towson. The teams have split the four previous matchups.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Eagles made 15 3-pointers and had 13 players mark up the scoring column during their 103-50 victory over Division II Goldey-Beacom College Monday night.
It was also the first Coppin State victory for new head men's basketball coach Michael Grant. Coppin State improved to 1-4 on the season. Leading the Eagles in scoring were senior Taariq Cephas and junior Shomari Triggs with 15 points each. Senior guard Arnold Fripp added 14 points for the Eagles, who won their home opener after a brutal four-game road trip to begin the season.
 
A LOOK AT TOWSON
Towson is off to a 6-1 start following its 77-66 victory over UMBC last Saturday. Towson held UMBC without a field goal for 8:19 in the second half, and went on a 24-7 run over that span to record their sixth-straight victory. Junior Four McGlynn led Towson with 22 points against UMBC. Two of the Tigers' wins were against MEAC foes Bethune-Cookman (63-42) and Morgan State (51-46). For the season, McGlynn leads Towson in scoring (14.3 ppg.) and 3-pointers made (14). John Davis averages 9.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Alex Gavrilovic scores at an 8.3 point per game clip for Towson, which is shooting 42.4 percent as a team this season.
 
KEEPING IT 100
Coppin State accomplished something rare when it scored 103 points against Goldey-Beacom. It was the first time the Eagles scored 100 points since they scored 108 in a double-overtime loss to Norfolk State on 1-31-11. The last time CSU topped 100 points in regulation was when it scored 102 against SE Missouri State on 11-23-07. It's the fifth time since 2000 CSU has reached triple-digits in a game.
 
THREE FOR ALL
The 15 3-pointers Coppin State made against Goldey-Beacom on Monday were the most in a single game by the Eagles since they made 15 against North Carolina A&T in a 93-92 loss on Jan. 23, 2012. For the season, CSU has attempted at least 30 3-pointers in three of its five games. Ten different players have made at least one 3-pointer this season. Taariq Cephas leads the Eagles with 11 triples. Van Rolle and Michael Oyefusi made their first career 3-pointers against Goldey-Beacom.
 
EAGLE EYES
In its win over Goldey-Beacom, CSU had eight players make at least 50 percent of its shots. As a team, CSU made a season-high 50.7 percent of its shots (34-for-67).
 
ROAD WARRIORS
Coppin State is starting the season by playing 13 of its first 16 games on the road. This is the start of a monster stretch of four games in seven days for Coppin State with three of the games on the road. Following a home game against Hofstra on Wed. Dec. 10, CSU heads back on the road for a four-game trip to reigning NCAA champion Connecticut, Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Evansville.
 
UP NEXT
Coppin State begins MEAC play by traveling to Virginia to visit Hampton (Saturday, Dec. 6) and Norfolk State (Monday, Dec. 8).