DURHAM, N.C. – Laila Lawrence recorded a game-high 22 points and matched a season-high with 16 rebounds, but the Coppin State women's basketball team fell at NC Central, 53-48 on Saturday afternoon at McDougald-McLendon Arena. CSU fell to 7-13 overall and 4-2 in the MEAC while NCCU improved to 10-11 on the year and 3-2 in league play.
A junior from Lewisville, Texas, Lawrence posted her league-leading ninth double-double of the season, hitting 9-of-21 shots and 4-of-7 free throws. Lawrence is nearing the 1,000-point mark and now has 993 points in her two-plus collegiate seasons at Texas A&M – Commerce and Coppin State.
Angel Jones and
Tyler Gray also went for double digits, scoring 12 and ten points, respectively, and both grabbed five rebounds apiece. Gray was also credited with a pair of steals.
Cassandra Hawthorne was the only Coppin player to score, tallying four points with a career-high eight rebounds.
Tiffany Hammond was credited with four steals.
NC Central outshot Coppin, 38.2% to 30.6% and CSU was unable to hit a three on 16 attempts. Coppin made just 10-of-17 free throws, outrebounded NC Central, 46-40 and had 11 second-chance points.
How it Happened
- Jones and Gray put Coppin on the board with jumpers on back-to-back possessions, cutting Central's lead to 6-4 with 6:14 left in the first.
- The hosts went on the first run of the game to extend their lead to seven points at the end of the quarter.
- NC Central opened a nine-point lead with a bucket to start the second, but Lawrence hit a pair of layups and Gray added another to make it a one-score game with 6:19 remaining.
- Once again, NC Central increased its advantage to nine, before Gray added another layup and Jones closed the half with a pair of free throws with just under a minute to go.
- Coppin took its first lead of the game with 5:53 left in the third while going on a 7-0 run which featured four points from Jones and three from Lawrence.
- Central retook the lead before Hawthorne tied the score at the 3:46 mark, but NCCU scored the final three points of the quarter to go up 34-31.
- Gray opened the fourth quarter with a mid-range jumper before NCCU answered with seven-straight points.
- CSU was able to rally and get back within one at the 2:12 mark, and again with 43 seconds remaining on a pair of free throws by Jones.
- Hammond forced a turnover on Central's ensuing possession and Coppin called a timeout with a chance to take the lead.
- The Navy & Gold were charged with an offensive foul with five seconds left and Central hit two free throws and forced another turnover to escape with the win.
Up Next: Coppin returns to action on Monday, February 5 when it visits South Carolina State for a 5:30 pm MEAC tipoff.
