DURHAM, N.C. – Jewel Watkins and
Mossi Staples combined to score 34 points as Coppin State's women's basketball team fell at North Carolina Central University, 67-54, on Monday night at McDougald-McClendon Arena. Coppin now stands at 5-18 overall and 2-6 in the MEAC while N.C. Central improves to 11-13 with a 5-4 mark in league play.
Inside the Numbers
- Watkins led all players with 18 points with three 3-pointers along with five rebounds and two steals. Staples went for 16 points with a pair of triples to go with a team-high eight rebounds and a pair of steals.
- Hope Evans tallied seven points, six assists and three rebounds while Cortney Gardner added six points and a pair of steals.
- Alexandria Hamilton and Jalynda Salley chipped in with three points apiece as Salley grabbed six rebounds and blocked a shot. Lucia Reos and Khya Jenkins both pulled down four rebounds.
- Salley now has 729 career rebounds, passing Leisel Harry and Bridgid Mitchell, and now stands sixth in CSU history.
- NC Central outshot Coppin, 37.3% to 27.0% but CSU held NCCU without a 3-pointer.
- Both teams got to the line often with Central hitting 23-of-31 compared to Coppin's 15-of-20.
How it Happened
- NC Central opened the game on a 10-1 run before Watkins stopped the drought with a three, followed by a layup off a dime from Evans.
- After Evans hit a jumper, cutting the deficit to 11-8, NCCU closed the quarter on an 8-1 run to take a 19-9 lead.
- The teams traded baskets to open the second quarter before the hosts picked up a pair of field goals to close the half with a 36-20 advantage.
- Coppin played even with Central in the third which kept the deficit at 16 points going into the final period.
- After a pair of free throws and a layup, Central took its largest lead of the game at 57-37 with 8:37 to play before Gardner hit a pair of jumpers.
- Staples scored the next seven points for Coppin before Watkins buried a three with 1:57 to go, cutting the advantage to as little as 62-51.
Up Next: Coppin returns to Baltimore for Homecoming when it hosts Howard in a 2:00 pm tipoff at PEC Arena on Saturday, February 18.
