BALTIMORE, Md. – Redshirt junior
Genesis Lucas scored a game-high 21 points and finished with eight assists in a 65-61 home loss to Hampton University in the Physical Education Complex on Thursday, March 2nd.
Coppin State ends the regular season with an 8-20 overall record and 8-8 record within the conference. Hampton moves to 17-12 overall record with a 11-5 MEAC record. The Eagles seven made three-pointers was their second highest total of the season
Lucas played the entire 40 minutes of action hitting 8-of-22 shots from the field including 4-of-7 three-pointers. Her eight assists was a team season-high total. Senior
Keena Samuels followed with 15 points, a career-high nine rebounds and three assists. She was 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. Graduate
Vanessa Neal had 14 points on 5-of-10 made field goals. Freshman
Chance Graham recorded 12 rebounds and scored five points.
Opening up the ball game, Neal led the Eagles with 12 first half points while Lucas scored ten and dished out five assists. Graham grabbed seven rebounds and scored five points as Coppin State out shot Hampton 43-percent to 35-percent. Hampton converted on 10-of-15 free-throws on 66-percent compared to only 5-of-7 attempts by the Eagles at 71-percent.
Coppin State led the entire first quarter and were off to a quick start paced by Neal. She had seven points in the quarter and gave the Eagles their largest lead (14-7) on a fast break layup. Eagles took a 17-14 advantage into the second quarter and Hampton ended up taking their first lead at the 8:50 mark. The Pirates scored the first five points of the second period until Samuels jumper tied it all back up at 19-19.
Over the next two minutes CSU stretched their lead to seven off of a three-pointer by Lucas and a layup. CSU was up 26-19 with 6:14 left in the first half. Hampton battled back and took the lead with under a minute to play (33-32). Neal followed with a pair of free-throws but the Pirates made a long range three going ahead, 36-34. Right before halftime, Neal made 1-of-2 from the charity stripe as CSU trailed 37-35 at halftime.
Hampton controlled the third period of play leading by no more than three points for majority of the quarter. Neal gave the Eagles their only lead at the 5:09 mark but the Pirates were able to make a late three-pointer and take a 49-48 lead into the fourth quarter. Samuels poured in nine third quarter points converting on 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.
The fourth quarter was a close one between the Pirates and Eagles. HU tied the game up at 60-60 with 2:19 to play on a made free-throw. They went up 61-60 with 1:27 on the clock on another free-throw. Coppin State failed to reclaim the lead in the final moments allowing HU to go up 63-60 after an offensive rebound and a put back with just over a minute.
The Eagles drew a foul with 25-seconds to go and made 1-of-2 free-throws trimming the HU lead to 63-61. The second free-throw rolled out, but a late turnover doomed Coppin as Hampton closed out the game at the charity stripe taking a 65-61 victory.
Hampton's Jephany Brown scored 17 points and Monnaz Finney-Smith had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The Eagles conclude the regular season and will begin MEAC Tournament play next week in Norfolk, VA.
