BALTIMORE – Coppin State's men's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker in the closing seconds to South Carolina State, 74-72, on Monday night at PEC Arena. The Eagles fell to 3-17 overall and 1-2 in the MEAC while the Bulldogs moved to 3-15 on the year and 2-1 in league play.
In a 26-second span in the closing minute, Coppin scored seven of eight points to turn a 71-65 deficit into a tied score with ten seconds remaining. South Carolina State's Jayden Johnson then hit a mid-range floater with three seconds remaining and Coppin's half court desperation attempt was off the mark.
Hassan Perkins, who scored a team-high 16 points with four 3-pointers while going 4-of-6 from the line, started the final minute rally with a three with 16 seconds left, pulling CSU to within 71-68. The Bulldogs hit the second of two free throws before Perkins was fouled shooting a three. After hitting the first two from the stripe, Perkins missed the third, but
Taj Thweatt was fouled going for an offensive rebound.
Thweatt hit his two free throws to tie the score at 72 before Johnson's game-winner at the other end. Thweatt was credited with his team-high eighth rebound of the game on the play.
Torrin Andrews and
Khali Horton also scored in double figures, recording 12 points apiece, followed by Thweatt with nine points, and both
Nelson Lamizana and
Josiah Brown with six apiece. Perkins,
Hussain Williams and
Jamari Piercy had three assists apiece with Williams grabbing six rebounds.
South Carolina State outshot Coppin, 51.2% to 36.0%, but Coppin hit ten 3-pointers and 26-of-35 (74.3%) to go with 18 second-chance points to stay in the game. The Eagles held a 33-29 advantage on the glass.
The Eagles head to Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday, January 17 in a 4:30 pm tipoff on Delmarva Sports Network.
