NORFOLK, Va. – Kaiya Coleman hit the game-winning layup with 0.3 seconds remaining to lift the Coppin State women's basketball team a 50-48 victory over archrival Morgan State in the First Round of the MEAC Tournament Monday afternoon at Scope Arena.
"It's a relief for me because it's my third year as a head coach, and it's my first win (in the MEAC Tournament) so it's huge for me," said head coach
DeWayne Burroughs. "It's big for our program, too, I believe. Brooke (Fields), Kaiya (Coleman), Chance (Graham) did a fantastic job today in helping us get the win. We prepared, relentless effort as a group and as a team is what carried us to a victory today."
The Basics:
Final Score: Coppin State 50, Morgan State 48
Records: Coppin State (5-24), Morgan State (10-21)
Location: Norfolk, Va. (Scope Arena)
Series History: Coppin State Leads, 42-38
How it Happened
First Quarter
- Coppin went inside early to Jalynda Salley who delivered with back-to-back layups to start the game, putting the Eagles on top, 4-2.
- Morgan State went on a 7-0 run that lasted just over five minutes before CSU answered with seven-straight points of their own to take an 11-9 lead with 3:14 remaining. Brooke Fields hit a layup and fed Maraiyah Smith for a three from the corner during the stretch.
- The Bears answered on their ensuing possession to tie the score at 11 and that's how the scoring ended in the first.
Second Quarter
- Brooke Fields started the quarter by making 1-of-2 free after a technical foul but five-straight Bears points gave Morgan a 16-12 with 5:49 to go.
- Kaiya Coleman then nailed a jumper and the inspiring play of Oluwadamilola Oloyede put CSU back on top 18-16 at the 3:43 mark. Oloyede hit back-to-back layups and also had a block and a pair of offensive rebounds during the run.
- Morgan tied it up on the other end at 18, but after E'Mya Price and Fields ran a transition layup to perfection, the Bears closed the period on a 6-0 run to take a 24-20 halftime lead.
Third Quarter
- Coppin shot 45.5% from the field and made 7-of-8 free throws in the period, outscoring the Bears, 19-8 and taking a 39-32 lead after three.
- Kaiya Coleman hit a three to open the half, which was quickly answered by the Bears, but Coppin scored six straight to take a 29-26 lead.
- After a Morgan State triple tied the score, Brooke Fields buried a three and a pair of free throws. Maraiyah Smith also hit a couple freebies to extend the Eagles advantage to 36-29 with 2:21 to go.
- A jumper by Chance Graham with 1:15 remaining gave CSU its largest lead of the day at 39-32 but Morgan made a layup just before the buzzer.
Fourth Quarter
- Morgan State slowly creeped back into the game and regained a 47-46 lead at the 2:31 mark.
- After a couple misses by both teams, the Bears missed a free throw and the other was waved off because of a shot clock violation with 23 ticks to go.
- Chance Graham made the Bears pay at the other end by getting to the hole and drawing a foul where she made both free throws with 18 seconds left, giving the Eagles a 48-47 lead.
- The Bears advanced the ball quickly on the ensuing possession and drew a foul with 12 seconds, but made just 1-of-2 to tie the score at 48.
- Graham grabbed the missed free throw and quickly hit Brooke Fields with the outlet, who then found Kaiya Coleman who made a drive to the hoop for the game-winner.
Inside the Numbers
- Kaiya Coleman scored a game-high 15 points off the bench, going 6-for-11 from the floor. She also added four rebounds and a game-high three steals.
- Brooke Fields also finished in double figures for the Eagles, tallying 11 points and six assists while Chance Graham added seven points and a game-high 15 rebounds.
- Jalynda Salley made all three of her shots for six points while Maraiyah Smith and Oluwadamilola Oloyede chipped in with five and four points, respectively.
- The Eagles outshot Morgan State, 40.5% to 32.1%.
- Ashia McCalla led the Bears with 14 points, one of three Morgan players in double figures.
- This was Coppin State's first win in the MEAC Tournament since the 2015-16 season when they advanced to the MEAC Championship Game.
Up Next
- The 11th-seeded Eagles will take on #3 Bethune-Cookman in the MEAC Quarterfinals on Thursday, March 14 at 12 pm.
