BALTIMORE, Md. – Freshmen center
Chance Graham tied a season-high rebounding effort pulling down 16 boards in a 49-45 loss to Norfolk State University in the Physical Education Complex.
Graduate
Tiara Goode scored a team-high nine points hitting three three-pointers while
Chance Graham followed with eight points and 16 rebounds. Junior
Oluwaseun Adeniji finished with a career-high six points leading the Eagles bench scoring, junior
Candice Beverly also scored six points with a career-high two blocks and senior
Keena Samuels had six points.
The Spartans came out with a strong first quarter knocking down five shots from the field and holding the Eagles to only one made basket. Red-shirt
Genesis Lucas was the only Eagle to make a shot from the field while Beverly and Samuels both contributed a pair of made free-throws. Norfolk State led 13-6 heading into the second quarter.
The Eagles answered the quick start by Norfolk State with a 12 point second quarter. Five scored for Coppin State led by
Tiara Goode and graduate
Vanessa Neal who both hot three-pointers. Neal anchored the CSU bench effort that outscored NSU's bench 7-0 in the quarter as both teams went into halftime tied at 18-18.
In the third quarter Beverly and Graham each scored four points apiece as Coppin State hopped out to a ten point lead (32-22) at the 6:18 mark. Norfolk State rallied from a double-digit deficit after a 12-2 run over the next five minutes. The Spartans reclaimed the lead (37-36) with 20-seconds to go in the quarter after outscoring the Eagles 19-18.
Coppin State continued to struggle from the field only making three field goals in the fourth quarter. Defensively, the Eagles forced six NSU turnovers that turned into six points for the offense. Norfolk State held onto to the lead for the entire fourth quarter by a slim margin.
After the Spartans had their largest lead of the quarter (47-41) with 2:25 remaining, the Eagles came roaring back behind the play of Samuels and Graham. Samuels converted a pair of free-throws and Graham followed with a layup off of a Lucas assist trimming the NSU advantage to two (47-45) with 36-seconds to go. The Spartans turned it over giving the Eagles an opportunity to tie or take the lead, but CSU missed the attempt and fouled with 15-seconds left.
NSU made one of their free-throws to lead 48-45. CSU's next attempt at tying the game also missed sending the Spartans back to the charity stripe. They made 1-of-2 again stretching their lead to four with three seconds left. Coppin State suffered their first conference loss at home, falling to Norfolk State 49-45.
Norfolk State's Jordan Strode scored a game-high 21 points and Kayla Roberts recorded a double-double with 12 points and ten rebounds. The Spartans improve to 10-8 overall and 5-1 in the MEAC. Coppin State drops to 3-15 overall and 3-3 in the conference.
The Eagles return to action on Saturday, January 28th at 2p.m. against rival Morgan State inside the PEC.
