BALTIMORE – Sam Sessoms,
Mike Hood and
Justin Steers all put up over 20 points as Coppin State's men's basketball team defeated James Madison, 107-100 in double overtime in front of 3,378 fans on Wednesday afternoon at PEC Arena. With the win, the Eagles matched a school-record with five non-conference Division I victories on the season while the Dukes fall to 9-4.
Inside the Numbers
- For the first time since January 20, 2018, Coppin had three players put up at least 20 points, led by Sam Sessoms with a game-high 28 points.
- This was the first time since December 1, 2014, against Goldey-Beacom that the Eagles scored at least 100 points. It was CSU's most points since a 110-108 double overtime loss to Norfolk State on January 31, 2011.
- Coppin's five non-conference wins match a school-record set in the 1988-89, 1989-90 and 1991-92 seasons.
- Sessoms made 9-of-17 shots, including three 3-pointers and all seven of his free throws while adding five assists and three steals.
- Hood drained six 3-pointers and finished with 23 points while Steers tallied a career-high 22 points on 5-of-6 field goals and 12-of-14 free throws while blocking a career-high five shots to go with three steals.
- Nendah Tarke notched a double-double with 13 points and ten rebounds to go with three assists and five steals.
- Kam'Ron Blue hit three 3-pointers to finish with nine points, followed by Alex Rojas with seven points and Daniel Titus with five.
- Coppin made 51.7% of its shots from the floor, 15 3-pointers on a 41.7% clip and 30-of-39 (76.9%) free throws.
- Four Dukes finished in double figures, led by Alonzo Sule with 21 points while the team shot 45.7% from the floor. JMU held a 49-36 advantage on the boards and forced CSU into 24 turnovers.
How It Happened
- JMU held a 23-19 lead with 7:01 left in the first half before Coppin went on a long run to finish the period.
- The Eagles closed the first half on a 28-8 run which included a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Hood. Sessoms had ten points over the final seven minutes and dished out a couple assists which included a slick pass leading to a dunk by Tarke at the 1:42 mark.
- Hood's three at the end of the half gave Coppin a 47-31 halftime lead and he answered a JMU bucket early in the second with another triple, giving Coppin its largest lead of the game at 50-33 with 18:51 left in regulation.
- James Madison cut the deficit into single digits with 13:36 remaining with a 10-2 run and pulled within a single basket at 52-50 at the 10:36 mark.
- Blue buried a big three to stop the run and Coppin built up its lead back to 67-54 following a four-point play from Hood and a pair of free throws by Steers.
- Coppin maintained a double-digit lead until the 1:34 mark when JMU hit a layup to pull within 75-67.
- Sessoms hit two more free throws and Steers converted on another three-point play with 40 seconds to keep it an 80-73 score.
- JMU answered right back with a three and pulled within 80-78 with 18 seconds to go.
- Coppin turned the ball over on the inbounds pass and the Dukes made the hosts pay with the tying shot seconds later.
- The Eagles missed the potential go-ahead free throw to send the game into overtime.
- Steers picked up right where he left off, starting the first extra session with a three-point play but JMU came right back and took its first lead of overtime at 92-91 with 30 seconds to play.
- Hood buried a three with 21 seconds remaining, giving CSU the 94-92 lead but the Dukes tied the score with a dunk with eight seconds left.
- Steers had a big second overtime, scoring ix-straight Eagles points following a three by Titus, giving CSU a 103-97 advantage at the 1:18 mark.
- Hood followed with two free throws to extend the advantage to eight points with just 35 seconds remaining to seal the win.
Up Next: Coppin closes out 2022 with three-straight road games, starting with George Mason on Friday, December 23 at 4 pm. Tipoff against the Patriots will air on ESPN+.
