ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Coppin State's women's basketball team won its fourth-straight game with a 72-39 victory at South Carolina State on Thursday night at SHM Memorial Center. The Eagles improved to 8-18 overall and 5-4 in the MEAC while the Bulldogs fell to 5-18 on the year and 2-6 in league play.
Khila Morris led four Eagles in double figures with a game-high 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting to go with seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals.
Paris McBride followed with 16 points while
Skylar Barnes and
Shanaii Gamble added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Gamble was a rebound shy of a double-double while adding four steals and
Patricia Sosa Lora grabbed 13 rebounds.
CSU outshot South Carolina State, 37.1% to 26.7% and held a huge 49-30 edge on the glass. The Bulldogs' 39 points were the fewest allowed by the Eagles in a game this season. More than half of Coppin's points (38) came on the fast break.
Coppin led from the start to finish, opening the game on a 13-1 run and holding the Bulldogs without a field goal until the 1:48 mark of the first quarter.
Mickelle Lowry knocked down a three in the final seconds of the period to put the Eagles on top, 16-5 after one.
The Eagles went on a long 14-2 run in the final minutes of the second quarter, extending their lead to 32-12 and went into the locker room with a 33-16 halftime lead. In the third, Coppin shot just 4-of-16 from the floor but continued to pull away by making 9-of-12 at the line.
In the fourth quarter, Coppin scored a game-high 22 points, making 9-of-16 (56.3%) from the field and three 3-pointers. Barnes opened the quarter with a three and answered a Bulldogs basket with another one of her own. After another SC State jumper, McBride converted on a rare four-point play, draining a three while being fouled. Morris then hit back-to-back shots before another three by Barnes gave Coppin its largest lead of the game at 66-33 with 5:49 left in regulation.
Coppin will look to extend its winning streak when it heads to N.C. Central for a 2 pm tipoff on Saturday, February 14.
