NORFOLK, Va. – Jaia Alexander scored 21 points and
Jewel Watkins punched in a season-high 16 points, but it was not enough as the Coppin State women's basketball team fell at Norfolk State, 71-60, on Saturday afternoon at Echols Hall. The Eagles fall to 8-8 overall and 2-1 in the MEAC while the Spartans improve to 6-7 on the year and 2-0 in league play.
Alexander made 6-of-11 shots from the floor, including both of her 3-point attempts, and 7-of-8 from the line to notch her fifth game with at least 20 points. A graduate student from Baltimore, Alexander also grabbed seven rebounds.
Watkins matched her season-high in points by making 4-of-7 from the floor with a pair of 3-pointers. The freshman from Whitehall, Ohio, also hit 6-of-7 from the stripe and matched Alexander with seven rebounds.
Aliyah Lawson hit two more 3-pointers and finished with eight points while
Colleen Bucknor and
Jalynda Salley led all players with an identical eight rebounds.
Mossi Staples chipped in with four points, a game-high four assists and two steals.
CSU outrebounded Norfolk State, 38-29, and made an impressive 20-of-26 (76.9%) from the line but shot just 33.3% from the floor compared to the Spartans' 44.9%. Norfolk also hit well from the line at 20-of-28 (71.4%).
The Eagles trailed 42-26 at the half but outscored the host Spartans in the second half and closed the third quarter on a 10-2 run to pull within striking distance. Alexander scored nine points and Watkins went for seven points in the final ten minutes and got as close as 68-60 with just under a minute left.
Norfolk State was able to seal the game with three late free throws in the final 45 seconds.
Coppin returns to action on Monday, January 24 when it welcomes Howard to PEC Arena for a 5:30 pm tipoff. Fans can watch the game live on NXT LVL and listen in on WNST 1570 AM
. Click here to see where you can watch NXT LVL.
