Steers Finishes with 16 Points in Men’s Hoops Loss at Rider

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – Freshman Justin Steers scored a season-high 16 points but it was not enough as the Coppin State men's basketball team fell at Rider University, 87-67, on Monday night at Alumni Gym.

The Basics

• Final Score: Coppin State 67, Rider 87
• Records: Coppin State 0-5 (0-0 MEAC) / Rider 1-1 (0-0 MAAC)
• Location: Lawrenceville, N.J. (Alumni Gym)
• Series History: Rider Leads, 2-0

How It Happened:
First Half

• Coppin got out to a favorable start, opening up an 11-5 lead as Chad Andrews-Fulton tallied five points in the first 3:06.
• Following the media timeout, Rider scored 12 straight points to take an 17-11 lead, and following a free throw by Nigel Marshall, recorded another seven-straight to open up a 24-12 lead with 9:29 remaining.
• Lamar Morgan kept CSU in the game with a pair of three's but Coppin was unable to closed the deficit to single digits before Rider took a 46-32 lead into the half.

Second Half

• Rider scored the first eight points of the second half to go up 54-32 before Justin Steers really went to work, scoring 11 of the team's next 20 points.
• Unfortunately, CSU was unable to get the necessary stops to cut the deficit under 15 points for the remainder of the game.

Inside the Numbers

• Justin Steers scored a season-high 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting with a 3-pointer, four rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.  Eleven of his 16 points came in the second half.  His 16 points were the most by any Eagles player so far this season.
• Lamar Morgan also finished in double figures with ten points, all of which came in the first half, to go with eight rebounds.
• Kent Auslander added eight points in his second start of the season while Nigel Marshall chipped in with seven.
• Dejuan Clayton was credited with seven assists, one off his career-high.
• All 12 Eagles players that checked in scored at least one point.
• Three Broncs finished in double figures, led by Dimencio Vaughn with 19 points and Jordan Allen with 18.
• Rider outshot Coppin, 43.5% to 39.7% and outrebounded the Eagles, 46-36.  The Broncs turned 20 CSU turnovers into 26 points.

 Up Next

• Coppin does not have much time off as they travel to Spartanburg, S.C., for a pair of Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis mainland games on the campus of Wofford College. 
• The Eagles play the host Terriers at 7 pm on Wednesday, November 21, followed by Charleston Southern on Friday, November 23 at 3:30 pm.