ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The Coppin State women's basketball team will travel to South Carolina State for a 2 pm tipoff on Saturday, February 5.
Event Information
Teams: Coppin State Eagles (10-9, 4-2 MEAC) at South Carolina State Bulldogs (3-16, 3-2 MEAC)
Date & Time: Saturday, February 5 | 2:00 pm
Location: Orangeburg, S.C. (Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center)
Series History: Coppin State Leads, 44-29; Coppin won the last meeting, 61-42 on February 15, 2020 in Orangeburg.
Coppin Contributors
Jaia Alexander leads the conference with 16.8 points per game and ranks second with 7.8 rebounds per game. Alexander also is 2nd in the MEAC in free-throw percentage at 79.7 percent while making a league-high 66 shots from the stripe. Aliyah Lawson is putting up 12.2 points to rank fifth in the MEAC while leading the conference in three-point field goals with 2.5 3-pointers per game. Lawson ranks third in both 3-point field goal percentage (32.4 percent) and in assists with (3.1). Mossi Staples is averaging 9.3 points per game and is ranked second in the MEAC in assists, averaging 3.3 APG, and second in steals (2.3). Jalynda Salley leads the MEAC in field-goal percentage, shooting the ball with a 50.9 efficiency. She also ranks seventh in the conference in rebounds (6.3 RPG), and tied for second in offensive rebounding, averaging 2.8. Salley is eighth in blocks (0.9), while averaging 7.8 points per game. Colleen Bucknor stands fifth in the conference in blocks, totaling 17, while also standing at seventh in rebounds (6.4 RPG).
Climbing the Charts
Aliyah Lawson made history and is now second all-time at CSU with 132 career threes. Lawson recently bumped Genesis Lucas down to third place overall with 128 threes made. Jalynda Salley has 96 career blocks to place her fifth all-time. Salley will match Chance Graham at fourth with her next block, and two more will tie Yvette Larkins for third.
Last Time Out
Jaia Alexander went off for a career-high 35 points in Coppin's victory at Delaware State on Wednesday night. The Baltimore native made 14-of-27 shots from the floor and notched a double-double with 12 rebounds. Aliyah Lawson added 11 points, six rebounds and six assists. Mossi Staples and Jewel Watkins chipped in five points apiece and Collen Bucknor pulled down eight rebounds.
About the Matchup
Coppin solidifies the third-place seed after being tied with SC State prior to the win at Delaware State. This will be the first matchup between the two teams since the 2019-20 season. Coppin State Head Coach Laura Harper and South Carolina State's Head Coach Audra Smith are both in their second seasons. Prior to South Carolina State, Smith served as head coach for Clemson where she coached Coppin's Jaia Alexander.
Scouting the Bulldogs
South Carolina State holds fourth place in the MEAC standings, with a record of 3-1 in conference (3-16 overall). As a team, they are ranked seventh in the league both offensively and defensively, averaging 48.1 points per game, while their opponents average 71.1 points per game. Nicole Gwynn is the Bulldogs leading scorer, averaging 12 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Trinity Klock is putting up 9.8 points and leads the team with 7.2 rebounds per game.
Up Next: Coppin returns home for three-straight games, starting with South Carolina State for Homecoming on Saturday, Feb. 12. Tipoff is set for 2 pm.
