Coppin women ready for Tar Heel state two-step

Women's Basketball | 1/22/2015 6:14:00 PM

BALTIMORE – Coppin State's women's basketball team hits the road to face North Carolina Central University and North Carolina A&T State University in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) match-ups.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Eagles will start out their three-game road trip at North Carolina Central Saturday at 2 p.m. Coppin State leads the all-time series 7-1. In their only meeting last year, the Eagles headed back to Baltimore with a 67-58 victory. Janelle Lane, Tanaysa Henderson, Jordan Swails and Amber Griffin all chipped in off the bench for an 18-7 edge. Coppin State hasn't lost to NCCU since 2011.
 
After leaving Durham, Coppin State ventures south to Greensboro to take on North Carolina A&T Monday at 5:30 p.m. The Eagles trail in the all-time series, 29-31, despite winning both meetings last year. When the Eagles visited the Aggies last January, they were rewarded with a 59-50 win. Janelle Land had 10 points and Coppin State held the Aggies to 26.9 percent shooting (18-for-67). A battle of epic proportions ensued in March when the two teams met in the MEAC semifinals. The game came down to the final seconds but the Eagles had a defining defensive stand to clinch a 57-55 victory to advance to the MEAC championship. Jordan Swails finished with eight points and Janelle Lane added seven points and a team-best eight rebounds. Omaah Tayong had five points and four rebounds.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Coppin State delivered an impressive 70-65 triumph over Florida A&M Monday night in the Physical Education Complex in a MEAC contest. Freshman Candice Beverly was exactly what the Eagles needed off the bench. In 13 minutes, Beverly scored a career-best seven points, grabbed three rebounds and tallied three assists to bring the team back from a 10-point deficit. Janelle Lane fed off of Beverly's energy with 13 of her 15 points coming after intermission. Jordan Swails was hot in the first half, notching 10 of her 14 points. She was flawless from the free-throw line in the first 20 minutes, going 8-for-8. Making her first career start, Genesis Lucas posted 11 points, a career-high seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Amber Griffin also added 11 points. FAMU shot 72.7 percent from the floor in the first half. True to their nature, the Eagles (3-12 overall, 2-2 MEAC) stepped up their defensive effort, holding the Lady Rattlers to 29.2 percent shooting after the break.
 
ABOUT N.C. CENTRAL
N.C. Central couldn't stop defending MEAC champion Hampton Monday night in a 75-36 setback. The Lady Eagles (3-15, 1-5 MEAC) committed 36 turnovers, which the Lady Pirates turned into 32 points. Senior Racquel Davis tallied 58.3 percent of NCCU's total with 21 points. She also added nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
 
LOOKING AT N.C. A&T
N.C. A&T dropped a 76-75 heartbreaker to Norfolk State in overtime Monday night. The Aggies (9-10, 2-4 MEAC) were rolling to start out the second half, taking their largest lead, 45-26. In the last three minutes of regulation, NSU went on a 13-3 run to tie the game at 68 and send things into extra time. The Aggies struck first and took a 75-71 edge but remained scoreless after that as the Spartans forced three turnovers and hit their free throws for the win. Redshirt senior Debbie Smith led N.C. A&T by matching her career-best 22 points. Redshirt junior Adriana Nazario finished with 19 points and five assists while April McRae had 13 points. The Aggies will face Delaware State on Saturday before Coppin State visits for Monday's game.
 
SCORING SWAILS
Junior guard Jordan Swails has recorded four straight games scoring in double figures. Through the past four games, she averages 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds as the Eagles top scorer.
 
SEARCHING FOR 250
In his 16th year as Coppin State's head coach, Derek Brown is one victory away from reaching his 250th career win. During his tenure, Brown has garnered four MEAC titles, made the NCAA Tournament three times, had two WNIT appearances, coached 35 All-MEAC players and had five MEAC Players of the Year on his teams.
 
AWESOME AMBER
Junior guard Amber Griffin has 258 career assists, putting her eighth among the all-time assists leaders in Coppin State history.