ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Angel Jones led all players with 21 points as the Coppin State women's basketball team fought off South Carolina State, 57-45, on Monday night at SHM Memorial Center. The Eagles improved to 16-9 overall, equaling their most since the 2016-17 season, and 7-2 in the MEAC.
Checking the Box Score
- Jones hit 8-of-15 from the floor with a three and 4-of-5 from the free throw line to go over the 20-point mark for the eighth time this season.
- Laila Lawrence tallied 11 points and 11 rebounds for her league-leading 16th double-double of the season.
- Cire Worley was also in double figures with 11 points while hitting 3-of-5 from long distance. She also posted season highs in both rebounds (7) and assists (5).
- Niyah Gaston also made three shots from downtown for nine points, while Tiffany Hammond also nailed a three.
- South Carolina State outshot Coppin, 40.9% to 37.5% but the Eagles hit eight 3-pointers to the Bulldogs' two.
- Coppin's five-game winning streak is its longest since the 2021-22 season when it won six-straight at one point.
How it Happened
- Both teams struggled offensively in the first quarter as the Bulldogs held a 10-8 lead after the first ten minutes.
- Coppin began to heat up in the second quarter and used a 9-0 run to turn a 12-10 deficit into a 19-12 lead at the 3:31 mark following a three by Gaston.
- South Carolina State stopped the drought with a layup before back-to-back threes by Worley and Gaston.
- Worley added a layup just inside the one minute mark, extending the lead to 27-16 which the Bulldogs answered just before the half.
- The Eagles maintained a double-digit lead throughout the third with the largest coming at 40-25 as Lawrence hit a pair of free throws with 2:02 remaining.
- The Bulldogs refused to go away, pulling to within 52-43 with 2:05 left in regulation but Jones scored eight points in the final five minutes to hold them off.
Up Next: Coppin welcomes Norfolk State to PEC Arena for Homecoming on Saturday, February 22 in a 2 pm tipoff on ESPN+.
