WASHINGTON, D.C. – Coppin State's
Mike Hood (28) and
Sita Conteh (21) both recorded career-highs and combined for 49 points and nine 3-pointers to lead the Coppin State men's basketball team to an 86-82 victory over Howard in a nationally televised affair on Monday night at Burr Gymnasium. The Eagles now stand at 5-6 in the MEAC while the Bison fall to 7-4 in league play.
A redshirt junior from Kansas City, Mo., Hood hit 7-of-10 shots from the floor, including 4-of-5 from long distance, and made 10-of-12 from the stripe to go for a new career-high. Hood's season-high was 18 points at DePaul but he had scored 21 points against Yellowstone Christian when he played at Montana State last season.
Conteh, who has received much more playing time as of late, made 6-of-13 from the floor with five 3-pointers for his 21 points. A redshirt senior from the Bronx, Conteh also grabbed seven rebounds.
Nendah Tarke was also in double figures for Coppin, recording 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals while
Justin Steers just missed on a double-double, recording nine points and ten rebounds along with a key block in the closing seconds of the game.
Greg Spurlock added a season-high eight points.
The Eagles made a whopping 15-of-28 (53.6%) of their shots from long distance, matching the most the 3-pointer's the team has hit under head coach
Juan Dixon. Coppin shot 50.0% from the floor as a team and made its shots from the line at 19-of-25.
Coppin held Howard to just 39.7% shooting, including 11-of-35 (31.4%) from deep, and outrebounded the Bison, 38-30.
CSU was in control for nearly the entire game, trailing for just 19 seconds in the second half after Howard hit a three to go on top 65-62 with 5:08 remaining. Hood matched that triple on the ensuing possession to tie the score, and after a Bison miss, fed
Kyle Cardaci for a go-ahead three with 4:21 to play. The 3-pointer was Cardaci's only three points of the night but were huge.
Hood later matched a pair of free throws with two of his own to keep Coppin on top, and after another Howard three, he equaled that as well to put Coppin back on top, 73-70 at the 3:29 mark.
The teams continued to trade baskets, but Hood kept the Eagles ahead with a layup with 55 seconds to go, giving CSU an 80-76 advantage. Hood made 6-of-8 free throws in the final minute of the game, including two with five seconds left to extend Coppin's lead to four points.
Coppin returns to the floor on Saturday, February 26 at Maryland Eastern Shore before closing out the regular season with home games against Delaware State on Monday, February 28, and Morgan State on Thursday, March 3.
