BALTIMORE – Laila Lawrence had a monster game with 16 points and 25 rebounds to lead the Coppin State women's basketball team to a 53-46 victory over Delaware State on Saturday afternoon at PEC Arena. The Eagles improved to 9-13 overall, surpassing their win total from last season, and 6-2 in the MEAC while the Hornets fell to 6-15 on the year and 2-6 in league play.
A junior from Lewisville, Texas, Lawrence grabbed ten offensive rebounds en route to a new career-high in rebounds and was credited with three steals as well. Lawrence's 25 rebounds were the most by a NCAA Division I player this season and tied Chance Graham for the second-most in CSU single-game history, trailing just Yvette Larkins' 28 boards against Baptist on December 9, 1989.
It was Lawrence's league-leading 11
th double-double of the season which ranks 30
th nationally. Prior to the game, Lawrence was also recognized for scoring her 1,000
th career point in Coppin's last game on February 5.
Lawrence also got help from her teammates with
Angel Jones (13),
Faith Blackstone (11) and
Tiffany Hammond (10) also finishing in double figures. Blackstone was second on the Eagles with eight rebounds while
Mossi Staples chipped in with six rebounds and a game-high four assists.
Tyler Gray matched Lawrence with three steals to go with five rebounds.
After shooting just 11.8% from the floor in the first half, Coppin shot 42.4% in the second half to rally for the win. The Eagles scored 21 second chance points off 21 offensive rebounds, hit four 3-pointers to the Hornets' one, and made 13-of-17 from the line.
How it Happened
- Both teams struggled to score in the first half with Delaware State holding a 21-12 halftime lead.
- The third quarter saw improved shooting from both teams as Coppin made 41% of it's shots, outscoring the Hornets, 19-16 in the period, and cutting the deficit to 37-31 to start the fourth.
- Coppin dominated the fourth quarter, taking its first lead of the game with 6:29 left on a jumper by Jones to cap a 9-1 run to open the period.
- Blackstone tallied five points during the stretch which included an old-fashioned three-point play to tie the score at 38.
- Delaware State tied it at 40 on the ensuing possession before Jones found Hammond open for a three at the 5:33 mark.
- CSU never relinquished the lead, getting a pair of free throws by Lawrence and three more free throws by Blackstone to extend its lead to 48-40 with just under four minutes remaining.
- The Hornets refused to go away, cutting the deficit in half with 2:03 remaining, but Lawrence answered with another bucket and grabbed three more defensive rebounds in the final minute to seal the victory.
Up Next: Currently tied for second place in the conference standings, Coppin travels to Maryland Eastern Shore for a 5:30 pm MEAC tipoff on Monday, February 19.
