ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Coppin State's women's basketball team committed 28 turnovers in a 67-65 overtime loss at MEAC rival South Carolina State on Monday night at S-H-M Memorial Center. The Eagles fall to 6-17 on the year with a 5-6 record in the MEAC while the Bulldogs improve to 9-15 overall with a 4-6 mark in conference play.
The Eagles' turnovers led to 26 points for South Carolina State, who was outshot by Coppin, 43.3% to 31.3%. The Bulldogs held a slim advantage on the boards but recorded 22 offensive rebounds, leading to 26 second-chance points. Nineteen of the Eagles' 28 turnovers came after the first half, including three in overtime.
South Carolina State rallied from a 51-32 deficit with 3:18 left in the third, scoring the final eight points of the quarter to go into the fourth trailing, 51-40. The Bulldogs then scored the first four points of the fourth to punctuate a 12-0 run.
A three-point play the old-fashioned way by
Chance Graham, who notched another double-double, briefly stopped the bleeding with 7:56 left to extend the lead back to 56-46. South Carolina State then went on another 7-0 run to pull within three with six minutes remaining at 54-51.
Graham then hit a triple off an assist by
Genesis Lucas followed by a layup by
Oluwadamilola Oloyede to up Coppin's lead back to eight with 4:46 left but the Bulldogs closed out regulation on 12-4 run to tie the score on a layup by
Bryeasha Blair (17 points) with eight seconds left.
Both teams struggled from the floor in overtime with both teams making just a single field goal with the difference coming on free throws by Blair with 1:13 and 20 seconds remaining. Coppin had a chance to tie the score on its final possession but a jumper by Lucas was off the mark.
Lucas led all scorers with 19 points on 8-of-16 shooting with three 3-pointers along with seven rebounds, seven assists and six steals.
Maraiyah Smith added another 15 points while Graham went for 11 points and ten rebounds to go with three steals and two blocks. Oloyede chipped in with eight points while
Alexis Taylor and
Candice Beverly pitched in with six points apiece. Taylor also grabbed a game and career-high 12 rebounds.
Coppin returns to the friendly confines of PEC Arena on Monday, February 12 at 5:30 pm.
