WBB Opens MEAC Play at Home Against South Carolina State

Women's Basketball | 1/3/2017 4:59:00 PM

Coppin State opens Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play versus South Carolina State on Wednesday in the Physical Education Complex. The Eagles lead the all-time series against South Carolina State by a 40-25 margin and split last year's meeting with CSU winning 81-62 in the semifinal round of the 2016 MEAC Basketball Tournament (Mar. 11, 2016). Coppin State is 0-1 at home this season, dropping their opener to Stephen F. Austin, 72-57 (Nov. 25, 2016) in the Physical Education Complex. The last time both teams met in the Physical Education Complex, SCSU won 68-58 on February 7, 2015.
 
SEARCHING FOR FIRST VICTORY OF SEASON
The Eagles (0-12) enter MEAC play without a victory in the non-conference portion of their schedule. The last time Coppin State failed to register a non-conference win was back in the 2005-06 season.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Genesis Lucas played the entire 40-minutes of action finishing with a career-high 26 points in a 73-63 loss at UMBC on Saturday, Dec. 31st in the REC Arena closing out non-conference play. Tiara Goode finished with 12 points and a season-high four made free-throws. Chance Graham tied her season-high with 13 points scored on four made field goals and five made free-throws. She also led the Eagles rebounding effort with six boards including four offensive rebounds. Keena Samuels added six point and was a force defensively with three steals and five rebounds. Vanessa Neal tied a career-high with four assists, made a three-pointer finishing with five points.
 
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Currently in his ninth season as head coach, Doug Robertson, Jr. has led the Bulldogs to a 3-8 record through non-conference action. Graduate guard Bryeasha Blair has averaged a team-leading 18.5 points per game (also second on the team with 1.9 assists) which ranks second in the MEAC. Blair also leads the conference in three-point field goal percentage at .462 percent. Junior guard Brittany Drumgoole has registered 10.7 points per game in ten contests ranking 15th in the league. Junior forward Jahmia Bradley leads the team in rebounding with 7.3 per game ranking sixth in the MEAC.
 
LUCAS DROPS CAREER-HIGH 26 AT UMBC
Genesis Lucas played the entire 40-minutes of action finishing with a career-high 26 points. Lucas made 10-of-24 field goals and 4-of-9 three-pointers which were also career-best in her second 20+ point game of the season. Coppin State held the advantage at the free-throw line sinking 14-of-18 attempts posting a team season-high 77.8% against the Retrievers. The Eagles point total (63), field goals made (21), field goal percentage (.356), three-point field goals made (7) and assists (13) were all second best performances throughout their non-conference stretch of games. UMBC led for the majority of the game and jumped out to a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter. Coppin State hit the glass grabbing 12 offensive rebounds and connecting on 15 second chance points.
 
ALL-TIME ASSISTS
Genesis Lucas ranks ninth in school history in career assist totals with 241. As a sophomore she dished out 130 and as a freshman 82. Now in her third season she has 29 thus far, passing Stephanie Ready's 237 and will look to pass No. 8 Delora Walker's 243 shortly. Thelma Lyles is seventh on the list with 244 and Liesha Mitchell is sixth with 266.
 
MILESTONES
Graduate Vanessa Neal recorded her 100th career point as an Eagle in their last game at UMBC. She finished with five points.
Senior Keena Samuels has 187 career rebounds and is currently 13 rebounds shy of 200 total.
Red-shirt junior Genesis Lucas has 595 career points and is currently five points shy of 600. She also has 197 rebounds and is currently three boards shy of 200 in her career.
Freshman Chance Graham has collected 85 rebounds in her rookie season and is now 15 boards shy of 100.
 
UP NEXT
Coppin State continues Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play with a pair of road games at Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman. The Eagles travel to Tallahassee for their first game against the Rattlers on Saturday, Jan. 7th at 2 p.m. and then will face the Wildcats on Monday, Jan. 9th at 5:30 p.m. in Daytona Beach.