BALTIMORE, Md. – Despite a career-high 34 points by
Chance Graham, the Coppin State women's basketball team fell to MEAC-leading Bethune-Cookman, 75-63, on Saturday afternoon at PEC Arena. The Eagles fall to 6-19 overall and 5-8 in the MEAC while the Wildcats improve to 20-4 with a 12-0 mark in conference play.
A sophomore from Upper Marlboro, Md., Graham made 10-of-16 shots from the floor including four 3-pointers, while pulling down 13 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the year. Graham also was credited with three blocks and a pair of steals.
This was the first time that a Lady Eagle scored over 30 points in a single game since
Kyra Coleman scored 31 points against Morgan State on February 10, 2014. The 34 points is tied for the sixth-most in a single game by a Lady Eagle women's basketball player.
Playing without senior
Genesis Lucas for the first half, the Eagles kept it close in the first quarter and led 11-7 with 3:04 left in the period on a triple by Graham. Eight straight Bethune points gave the Wildcats back the lead and they took an 18-14 lead at the break.
Bethune nearly doubled up on Coppin, 17-8 in the second to take a 35-22 halftime lead and led by as many as 45-25 with 6:55 left in the third. Lucas checked into the ballgame for the first time with 7:27 remaining in the period and the Eagles slowly clawed their way back into the game.
Trailing 54-46 after three, Coppin opened the fourth on a 10-4 run with five points apiece by Graham and Lucas with 7:29 left. However, Bethune scored 13 straight points to seal the victory.
Oluwadamilola Oloyede added eight points for Coppin while Lucas finished with seven points and two assists in just 17 minutes of action.
Maraiyah Smith also scored seven points and
Candice Beverly chipped in with six.
The Eagles return to action on Monday, February 19 when they travel to Delaware State for a 5:30 pm tipoff.
