DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Senior guard
Keena Samuels set a new career-high with 27 points in a 71-52 loss at Bethune-Cookman on Monday, January 9
th in the ICC Center. Samuels scored 16 first half points and finished with a career-best ten made field goals against the Wildcats.
Coppin State falls to 2-13 overall and 2-1 in MEAC play. The Eagles tied a season-high with 13 steals paced by red-shirt junior
Genesis Lucas' four steals. The Wildcats made 24 free-throws shooting 77% from the charity stripe.
The Eagles had a difficult first half offensively against the Wildcats and trailed by as many as 14 points. Samuels finished the first half with 16 points including ten in the second quarter alone. Coppin State shot 35% (11-of-31) from the field and went to the free-throw line for only five attempts. Samuels converted on 3-of-4 from the charity stripe. Bethune-Cookman carried a nine point lead into the half (37-28) after hitting 53% (14-of-26) of their shots from the field. The Wildcats also made 7-of-11 free-throws and led for majority of the first half.
After a quick start in the third quarter, the Eagles struggled and was outscored 18-12. The Wildcats kept it going throughout the fourth quarter and leaped out to a 71-40 advantage with 4:25 to go. Goode had seven fourth quarter points and finished with 13 points as Bethune-Cookman cruised to a 71-52 win.
Samuels recorded her career-high, 27
th point of the night on a layup with 3:27 left to go. Freshman
Mia Crooms tied a season-high with two assists and
Candice Beverly led the team in rebounds with seven while Lucas had a team-high five assists with four steals.
Coppin State returns to the Physical Education Complex on Saturday, January 14th for an afternoon contest against North Carolina A&T at 2 p.m. The Eagles trail the all-time series against the Aggies 33-30 and split last year's meeting with CSU winning at home 65-59 on Jan 27th. NC A&T defeated CSU in the 2016 MEAC Tournament championship game 65-46 on March 12th.
