Coppin State Earns MEAC Finals Bid With Win Over South Carolina State

Women's Basketball | 3/11/2016 3:28:00 PM

Box Score NORFOLK- Sophomore guard Genesis Lucas scored a season best 21 points, one shy of her career high, as four Lady Eagles scored in double figures in Coppin State's 81-62 MEAC Semifinal win over the South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs on Friday, March 11 in Norfolk Scope Arena.
 
Coppin State (16-15, 10-6) will return to the MEAC Finals after a one-year hiatus.
 
The Lady Eagles are now 7-8 all-time in the MEAC Semifinals and 6-5 all-time against South Carolina State in the MEAC Tournament.
 
Head Coach Derek Brown could not be more proud of how his team has been playing on the team's current nine game win streak.
 
"As of yesterday and Monday, the ladies have just been playing great basketball," Brown said. "I've seen them play at their worst and I've seen them play at their best. I just felt they played a complete game today."
 
Lucas was on fire to start the game, scoring 13 of her game high 21 points in the first half. She added four rebounds, three assists and a steal on 7-for-12 shooting from the field in 35 minutes of game action.
 
Lucas sank five of her six free throws and shot 2-for-3 from beyond the arc.
 
"We've been practicing on shooting the ball and taking good shots, said Lucas, a native of Brandywine, MD. "It's a habit now for us to take good shots and to feel good about the shots we're taking"
 
Senior Amber Griffin poured in 17 points on 7-for-14 accuracy from the field, including 2-for-4 from 3-point range.
 
Griffin chipped in a game best five assists, two rebounds and two steals on a game a high 36 minutes on the floor. She knocked down her lone foul shot of the game.
 
"We seemed to be more confident in our shooting today," said Griffin, who has scored in double figures in all three games the Eagles have played in the MEAC tournament. "I think the main thing we need to do is cut down on turnovers. If we cut those down and play the defense we've been playing, the sky is the limit for us."
 
Keena Samuels finished with 13 points, five rebounds and two steals in 32 minutes.
 
Samuels went a perfect 7-for-7 from the charity stripe. She too, has scored in double digits in three MEAC tournament wins for the Lady Eagles.
 
Janelle Lane tallied 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting from the floor. She added five rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 23 minutes.
 
Seniors Jordan Swails and Tanaysa Henderson both led the Lady Eagles with eight points apiece off the bench. They combined to go 6-for-10 shooting from the field.
 
Swails led Coppin State with a team best seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. She sunk two of her three foul shots.
 
Henderson grabbed four rebounds and dished out one assist.
 
She went a perfect 2-for-2 from 3-point land.
 
Omaah Tayong complied four points and five rebounds for Coppin State.
 
Coppin State shot 54.7% (29-for-53) from the floor, including shooting 50.0% (6-for-12) from beyond the arc for the third consecutive game of the MEAC Tournament.
 
The Lady Eagles were efficient from inside, outscoring the Lady Bulldogs 28-20 in the painted area and winning the battle of the boards 38-28.
 
Coppin State outscored South Carolina State in three of the four quarters and never trailed during the game.
 
Jasmine Coleman led South Carolina State with 14 points and seven rebounds. Bria Ratliff added 13 points and two assists for the Lady Bulldogs.
 
Coppin State will take on the winner of the Hampton/North Carolina A&T in the 2016 MEAC Finals on Saturday, March 12. Tipoff will be immediately one hour after the MEAC Men's Finals game in Scope Arena in Norfolk, VA.