PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Laila Lawrence posted her Nation's leading fourth double-double to lead the Coppin State women's basketball team to a 61-56 victory at Pittsburgh on Tuesday morning at Petersen Events Center. The victory was the Eagles (3-3) first-ever against a Power Five program while the Panthers fell to 1-4 on the year.
Lawrence led three Eagles in double figures, recording 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds to go with two assists, a block and two steals while making all six of her free throws.
Faith Blackstone hit ten free throws to finish with 15 points as
Tiffany Hammond sunk a career-high five 3-pointers for 15 points.
Khya Jenkins added six points, followed by
Mossi Staples with five and
Colleen Bucknor with four as Coppin outshot Pittsburgh, 38.3% to 36.7%. The Eagles hit seven triples compared to just three for the Panthers and more than doubled Pitt's opportunities at the free throw line.
How it Happened
- Coppin was red hot from the floor in the first half, hitting 15-of-25 (60%) from the floor and 7-of-12 (58.3%) from deep while Pittsburgh shot 37.0% from the field.
- Hammond got the scoring started with a three less than a minute into the game before the Panthers scored four-straight points.
- That was the hosts' only lead of the game as Bucknor and Lawrence hit back-to-back layups before Blackstone hit a three to give Coppin a 10-4 advantage.
- With 3:35 left in the period, Pittsburgh cut the Eagles' lead to 13-11 but Staples hit a three before Lawrence hit a jumper to go back up seven.
- CSU led by as many as 39-22 in the second quarter thanks to a 15-5 run with Hammond hitting four threes during the stretch.
- Blackstone hit a pair of shots from the stripe just before the half, giving Coppin a 43-27 halftime lead.
- Pittsburgh outscored the Eagles, 20-10 in the third quarter, pulling to within three with 3:41 to play, but Lawrence and Blackstone stopped the drought with four-straight points.
- Coppin maintained the lead throughout the fourth, cutting short any run by the Panthers who got to within, 57-56 with 2:16 in regulation.
- The Eagles forced a Panthers miss and Blackstone was fouled on a drive to the hoop at the other end.
- Blackstone hit both shots from the line and grabbed the board off a Panthers' missed three.
- Staples was fouled with just 1.1 seconds left in the game and hit both free throws to seal the win.
Up Next: Coppin returns to action on Sunday, November 26 at 1 pm when its hosts George Mason at PEC Arena.
