BALTIMORE – Coppin State men's basketball rallied from a 16-point deficit to tie the score, but fell to South Carolina State, 85-77, on Monday night at PEC Arena. The Eagles fell to 2-14 on the year and 1-1 in the MEAC while the Bulldogs improved to 8-9 overall and 2-0 in league play.
Checking the Box Score
- Five Eagles scored in double figures for the first time in nearly two years, led by Jonathan Dunn with 16 points.
- Dunn was followed by Toby Nnadozie with 15, Khali Horton with 14, Julius Ellerbe III with a double-double 13 points with ten rebounds and Camaren Sparrow with 12 points to go with a career-high six assists.
- Nnadozie and Sparrow both had four steals as well.
- A shorthanded CSU squad also got seven points from Peter Oduro before fouling out.
- South Carolina State outshot Coppin, 51.0% to 44.0%, but the Eagles stayed in the game by hitting 28-of-39 free throws.
- Dunn hit 10-of-13 from the line and Sparrow made 8-of-12, both career highs while Horton made all four shots from the stripe.
- The Bulldogs built their lead by making 59.3% from the floor with seven threes in the first half and got a game-high 18 points from Omar Croskey.
How it Happened
- Coppin stayed right with South Carolina State in the opening minutes before the Bulldogs hit back-to-back threes to open a 19-7 lead with 13:27 left in the half.
- The Eagles battled back to within seven, before the visitors extended their advantage once again, reaching as much as 47-31 at the 1:11 mark.
- CSU closed the period with five-straight points, starting with a jumper by Oduro before Dunn converted on a three-point play to make it a 47-36 score at the break.
- Trailing, 54-42 with 17:15 to go, Coppin tied the score at 59 with a 17-5 run over the next 4:15 after a three by Horton.
- Nnadozie answered a Bulldogs triple with one of his own, but the Bulldogs built their lead back to as many as 78-69 in the closing minutes.
Up Next: Coppin will be on the road for its next three games, starting with Norfolk State on January 11 and Howard two nights later.
