BALTIMORE, Md. – Despite a game-high 25 points and 14 rebounds by sophomore
Chance Graham, Coppin State's women's basketball team dropped its regular season finale to Howard University, 87-69, on Thursday night at PEC Arena. The Eagles enter the MEAC Tournament as the 11
th seed with a 6-22 overall record along with a 5-11 mark in the MEAC.
A sophomore from Upper Marlboro, Md., Graham notched her league-leading 11
th double-double of the season which was buoyed by a 10-of-14 performance from the free throw line. Graham also grabbed five offensive rebounds which helped lead to some easy putbacks against a much taller team.
Prior to the game, seniors
Candice Beverly and
Genesis Lucas were honored in a ceremony as they played in their final home games in a Coppin uniform. Lucas finished the day with 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and four steals while Beverly added nine points and five rebounds.
Six Bison players finished in double figures, led by
Sarah Edmond and
Jayla Thornton with 16 points apiece.
Ayonna Williams had a great all-around game and finished with ten points, ten assists and seven rebounds.
Howard led for most of the game and outshot Coppin, 47.0% to 31.9%. The Bison also was hot from downtown, making 10-of-23 (43.5%) shots from behind the arc and 22 of their 31 made field goals were assisted.
With Howard leading, 9-7 with 4:58 to go in the first quarter, the Eagles scored eight-straight points to take their largest lead at 15-9 with 2:41 remaining in the period. Lucas, Graham,
Maraiyah Smith and
Oluwadamilola Oloyede each had buckets during the run and Coppin took a 17-14 lead into the second.
It was all Howard from there as the Bison outscored the Eagles, 30-12 in the second to take a 44-29 halftime lead. The teams traded three's to open the second but after a three-point play by Graham put Coppin on top, 28-27 with 4:05 left, Howard scored 14 straight points and never looked back.
The Eagles will play their first round game of the MEAC Tournament on Monday, March 5 at approximately 4 pm. The opponent has yet to be announced at the time of this release.
