BALTIMORE – Coppin State junior guard
Sterling Smith didn't hesitate once he received the ball from senior guard
Taariq Cephas.
With a sliver of daylight, Smith elevated off the floor and released the orange ball from his sweaty hands. Splish. Splash.
Smith swished his 130th career 3-pointer with 25 seconds remaining that gave the Eagles a two-point lead, which eventually became a thrilling 77-74 triumph over South Carolina State in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) heart-stopper Saturday afternoon at the Physical Education Complex.
With its third straight home victory and second overall, Coppin State (5-18 overall, 4-6 MEAC) continued its ascent up the MEAC standings. With two more games remaining on its season-long homestand and four of its final six at the PEC, Coppin State is poised to move on up like the Jeffersons. The Eagles also ended the three-game winning streak of South Carolina State (9-16, 6-4).
Since Cephas and Smith have been playing with each other for three years, Smith knew exactly what to do when Cephas drove into the teeth of the South Carolina State defense late in the game.
"We have a good rapport on the court," Smith said. "So I know when he drives, it's my job to get open. I got a good look and I hit it. This was an important win for us especially the way we were able to win it. We let a lot of games slip through our fingers this year so this is definitely a step in the right direction of being able to close out games."
Smith wasn't finished making big plays. He fought for a loose ball after the Bulldogs missed a potential game-tying shot with 4.1 seconds remaining. Then after the Eagles split a pair of foul shots, Smith stripped a South Carolina State defender of the ball as time disappeared.
Once the final buzzer sounded, CSU players exploded off its bench to celebrate a win to remember.
For the fifth straight game, Coppin State had four players reach double figures highlighted by Smith and Cephas, who scored 18 points each. Smith collected seven rebounds and Cephas handed out six assists to up his career tally to 413.
Arnold Fripp posted his third career double-double with a solid 17-point and career-best 12 rebound performance. In two wins this week over Morgan State and South Carolina State, Fripp averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds.
Dallas Gary scored 11 of his 13 points in the opening 20 minutes to help CSU race to a 46-34 halftime lead.
Coppin State displayed composure, heart and toughness in holding South Carolina State to two points down the stretch. The Bulldogs appeared poised to leave the PEC with a victory after rallying from a 15-point second half deficit to take a 72-68 lead with two minutes, 56 seconds remaining.
Cephas simply refused to let Coppin State lose.
In the final three minutes Cephas was spectacular, scoring five points, delivering one key assist and providing the necessary leadership to help his team weather the Bulldogs' second half storm especially the one unleashed by freshman guard Ed Stephens, who finished with a game-high 26 points.
"Taariq was a great leader out there for us tonight," Smith said. "He did a good job of keeping us together when we needed it. After he hit that big 3-pointer to bring us to within one, everybody's attitude changed. A win like this is big for us. This is the time of year that we want to get hot and play our best basketball."
After falling behind19-13 eight minutes into the game, the Eagles gained control by outscoring South Carolina State, 33-15 to end the first half.
Coppin State hosts Savannah State Monday night at 7:30 p.m. South Carolina State visits Morgan State.
NOTES: Coppin State made 10 3-pointers, the 11th time this season it has made double-digit 3-pointers…The Eagles are averaging 80 points and 9.6 3-pointers over their last five games…Also over their last five games, CSU has five players averaging double figures: Smith (18.8 ppg.), Gary (15.2),
Christian Kessee (12.2), Cephas (12.0) and Fripp (10.8)…For the sixth straight contest, Coppin State produced a 40-point half…The Eagles have led by double digits at halftime of their last three home games…This was CSU's seventh straight victory over South Carolina State.
