GREENSBORO, N.C. – North Carolina A&T's
Alexus Lessears hit a jumper with four seconds left to give the Aggies a 64-63 MEAC victory over Coppin State's women's basketball team on Monday night at Corbett Sports Center. The Eagles now stand at 3-14 overall and 2-3 in the MEAC while A&T improves to 8-7 on the year with a perfect 3-0 mark in conference play.
Ahead 63-62, Coppin missed a pair of free throws with 11 seconds remaining, and following a defensive rebound, the Aggies called a timeout. Lessears then drove into the paint a buried the game-winning jumper.
Coppin overcame a nine point first quarter deficit, and after going into the half trailing, 36-31, outscored North Carolina A&T, 21-5 in the third to go up 52-41. The teams traded baskets early in the third quarter but the Eagles then went on a 17-1 run over a six-plus minute stretch to go up 50-39 with 2:03 left in the period.
Genesis Lucas scored 13 of her game-high 22 points during the stretch to help Coppin to its largest lead of the night before A&T rallied for the victory. Lucas also finished with nine assists, six rebounds and three steals.
Chance Graham just missed a double-double with 20 points and nine rebounds whole
Oluwadamilola Oloyede notched her second-straight double-double with 11 points and ten rebounds.
The Eagles narrowly outshot the Aggies from all areas of the floor and made 20-of-32 free throws compared to just 9-of-21 for A&T. Coppin committed 24 turnovers which led to 26 Aggies points.
The Navy & Gold will return home for three-straight games, starting with crosstown rival Morgan State on Saturday, January 20 in a 2 pm tipoff.
