CHICAGO, Ill. – Coppin State's men's basketball team made 9-of-10 free throws over the final 32 seconds to preserve a 76-72 victory over Loyola Chicago on Tuesday night at the Ramblers' Gentile Arena. This is the first time since December 11, 2013 (UMBC) that the Eagles defeated a non-MEAC Division I team.
The Basics
Final Score: Coppin State 76, Loyola Chicago 72
Records: Coppin State (1-2), Loyola Chicago (1-2)
Location: Chicago, Ill. (Gentile Arena)
Series History: Coppin State Leads, 2-1
How It Happened Down the Stretch:
- Dejuan Clayton drove to the hoop for a layup with 5:07 remaining to give Coppin State a 63-61 lead which it would not squander.
- After forcing a turnover, Jordan Hardwick tipped in a miss by Clayton to double the Eagles' advantage to 65-61 with 4:03 to go.
- Loyola Chicago answered with a bucket on the ensuing possession, but Clayton increased CSU's lead back to four points at 67-63 at the 2:48 mark.
- The score remained the same until the Ramblers hit a pair of free throws with 58 ticks remaining to make it a 67-65 score.
- Coppin got an offensive rebound with 32 seconds to go and Loyola Chicago was forced to foul, and Kamar McKnight answered the call by hitting both shots from the stripe to up the score to 69-65.
- The Ramblers made just 1-of-2 shots from the line with 23 seconds left and Coppin's Andrew Robinson made them pay with a pair of free throws to increase the advantage to 71-66. This matched Coppin's largest lead of the game.
- Loyola's Cameron Krutwig converted on a three-point play the old fashioned way to make it a two point game with 11 seconds to go, and after Aaron Robinson made 1-of-2 free throws, the Ramblers made it a 72-71 score with two free throws with five seconds remaining.
- Clayton made it a three-point game by hitting a pair of free throws with three seconds left and hit two more after CSU fouled the Ramblers with two seconds to go before getting off a three-point attempt to possibly tie the score.
Earlier in the Second Half
- Coppin overcame a 40-31 deficit after Loyola Chicago's Tate Hall scored with 19:51 remaining in regulation. The Eagles used a 10-2 run to cut the deficit a single point with 15:02 to go but the Ramblers quickly increased their advantage back to six.
- A three by Dejuan Clayton tied the score at 51 with 11:16 remaining and it was tied again at 53 and 55 before Aaron Robinson gave CSU its first lead at 58-57 since the 4:59 mark of the first half with a three with 7:27 to go.
- The Ramblers' Cameron Krutwig helped Loyola Chicago tie the score at 61 with a pair of free throws and a layup at the 5:58 mark before Clayton's go-ahead layup with 5:07 to go.
Inside the Numbers
- Dejuan Clayton led the Eagles with 21 points while his 12-of-14 free throws matched a career-high. Clayton also pulled down six rebounds and was credited with a pair of steals.
- Kamar McKnight and Andrew Robinson added 14 and 13 points, respectively while making all six of their combined free throws.
- Aaron Robinson and Jordan Hardwick chipped in with eight points apiece which matched a career-high for Hardwick. Hardwick also pulled down a team-high ten rebounds which was one off his career-high.
- Both teams made 23 field goals and 22 free throws while Coppin made eight 3-pointers compared to just four for the Ramblers.
- CSU shot 78.6% from the line compared to just 64.7% for Loyola Chicago.
- Coppin outrebounded the Ramblers, 41-35, and were outshot, 42.6% to 39.7%.
Up Next
- Coppin continues its five-game road trip as its next three games are part of the Collegiate Hoops Roadshow Presented by AtmosAir. The Eagles will first play at Northern Illinois on November 15, prior to facing Northern Kentucky on November 17 and Pacific on November 19.
