WASHINGTON, D.C.- After leading for the majority of the second half, it all came down to the final seconds as the Coppin State women's basketball team fell just short to Howard, 70-67 on Monday afternoon in the Burr Gymnasium. The Eagles are now 14-10 on the season and 8-3 in conference play.
Aliyah Lawson had an outstanding performance, leading all players with 20 points, including four three-point field goals. Jalynda Salley had 12 points and a team high eight rebounds. Jewel Watkins finished with ten points, six rebounds, and led all players with three steals. Mossi Staples also scored in double figures with ten points, three assists, two steals and was a perfect 5-of-5 from the stripe.
Hope Evans also had seven points and led all players with four assists. Colleen Bucknor contributed eight points, four rebounds, and two steals.
After a slow start for the Eagles in the first quarter, they made a drastic comeback and kept the first half close with the Bison. Salley and Watkins had eight points apiece in the first half alone. Three consecutive threes from Lawson, Watkins and Staples tied the score at 33-33. Lawson then sank two free throws to take a 35-33 lead. Brooklyn Fort-Davis scored a lay-up for the Bisons to tie the score going into the second half.
Lawson had a hot hand to open the second half with an 8-0 run which consisted of two threes and a smooth reverse lay-up, while the Bison were left scoreless for over four minutes. Lawson scored ten points in the third quarter alone and gave CSU a 43-35 lead.
Going into the fourth quarter, Coppin led 54-49 but Howard went on an early 6-0 run, which was stopped with a deep three from Lawson to give Coppin back the lead at 57-55 advantage at 7:35. The Eagles kept it going as Evans fed Salley for a drop step lay-up, before Staples scored an and-one. Watkins later sunk a free throw to cap a 6-0 run as Coppin held a 65-58 lead with 2:35 left.
Howard then went on a run of its own and took a 67-66 lead with 1:36 left of play. After the Bison hit a free throw, Evans sunk a free throw with 37 seconds left on the clock to cut the deficit to a single point. The Bison then hit two more free throws and snuck away with a win as Coppin's desperation 3-point attempt was off the mark.
The Eagles are back in action at Maryland Eastern Shore on February 26, for a 2pm tipoff for the last away game of the season.
