TEMPE, Ariz. – Four Eagles scored in double figures, but the Coppin State women's basketball team dropped its season opener at Arizona State, 67-53, on Monday night at Desert Financial Arena.
Paris McBride led CSU in nearly every statistical category, recording 12 points on 3-of-5 field goals and 5-of-6 free throws to go with six rebounds, five assists a block and a steal.
Khila Morris added 11 points with four rebounds and three assists while
Erin Henry and
Skylar Barnes added ten points apiece.
Sydney Burris led the Eagles with three steals to go with four rebounds and
Jahcelyn Hartfield finished with five points, two rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal.
Princess Nwachukwu grabbed five rebounds in her collegiate debut while
Kylie Wells and
Kyley Gary-Grayson added field goals in their first career games.
Coppin outshot Arizona State, 45.0% to 41.3% from the floor with seven 3-pointers but turned the ball over 33 times which turned into 37 Sun Devil points. The Eagles also made just 10-of-22 (45.5%) from the line.
CSU kept it close throughout the first half and pulled to within 27-25 with a 7-0 run late in the second quarter. McBride started the run with a pair of free throws before Barnes buried a three, followed by a tip-in by McBride.
Arizona State added a bucket just before the end of the half to go into the locker room with a 29-25 lead.
The third quarter belonged to the Eagles who took their first lead of the game on a three by Morris at the 7:26 mark to cap another 7-0 run. Morris added a pair of free throws following an ASU miss, and following a Sun Devil bucket, Barnes answered with another three and Morris added a layup to give CSU a 41-34 lead with 4:32 remaining in the period.
Gabby Elliott hit a jumper for ASU just before the end of quarter to cut the margin to 43-40 going into the fourth.
Arizona State outscored Coppin, 27-10 in the final ten minutes, holding Coppin without a field goal for the final 5:43.
The Eagles will host Lincoln (Pa.) on Thursday, November 6 in an 11 am tipoff at PEC Arena.
