BALTIMORE – Jewel Watkins scored a game-high 14 points, but it was not enough as Coppin State's women's basketball team put up a great effort in a 56-41 loss to Pittsburgh in the season opener on Monday night at PEC Arena.
Inside the Numbers
- Watkins led all scorers with 14 points along with three steals while making all five of her free throws.
- Mossi Staples also finished in double figures, tallying ten points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
- Jalynda Salley made 3-of-7 field goals to finish with seven points and seven rebounds. Hope Evans chipped in with five points, followed by Colleen Bucknor with four. Alexandria Hamilton also brought down five rebounds.
- Coppin held the Panthers to just 38.5% shooting from the floor but managed to shoot 25.5% from the floor. The Eagles made 13-of-15 free throws while Pitt made all ten of its shots from the stripe.
- Pitt was led by Channise Lewis with 11 points and Dayshanette Harris with 11 points. The Panthers were credited with nine blocked shots.
How it Happened
- Coppin led early in the game, taking an 8-7 lead on a stepback jumper by Staples but Pitt closed the period on a 13-2 run with Staples converting on a floater just before the buzzer.
- Pitt hit back-to-back threes to open the second, but Coppin stayed in it by holding the Panthers to just two points the rest of the quarter. The Eagles managed just three free throws until a jumper from Bucknor made it a 28-15 score at the half.
- The Eagles outscored the ACC member, 18-12 in the third and went on a 12-2 run to finish the period. Salley putback her own miss with just under a minute to go and Evans finished on a breakaway layup just before time expired.
- CSU pulled to within just 42-37 with 6:36 left in regulation following back-to-back buckets from Bucknor and Salley but Pitt answered with a three to extend the lead back to eight.
- Salley scored on a nice entry pass from Staples to pull back to within six, but the Panthers closed the game on a 12-2 run to pull away.
Up Next: The Eagles return to action on Friday, November 11 when they visit Charlotte University in a 6 pm tipoff on ESPN+.
