NORFOLK, Va. – Four Coppin State players scored in double figures, including
Khila Morris with a game-high 17 and
Shanaii Gamble with a double-double, in a 70-52 victory in the MEAC Quarterfinals over North Carolina Central on Thursday afternoon at Scope Arena. This is the third-straight season that Coppin (10-22) has advanced to the Semifinal Round.
Morris, who was named the MEAC Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-Conference, hit 6-of-11 shots from the floor and 5-of-6 from the line to lead all players in scoring. A senior from Bronx, N.Y., Morris added four rebounds, two assists, a block and three steals.
One of the top rebounders in the conference, Gamble posted her first double-double of the season, tallying 12 points and ten rebounds.
Erin Henry matched her with 12 points, along with eight rebounds, a team-high four assists and two steals.
Sydney Burris was also in double figures with 11 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.
Despite not hitting a field goal,
Paris McBride came up big on both sides of the floor, hitting 6-of-8 free throws while adding four rebounds and two assists. A senior from Richmond, Va., McBride, who leads the MEAC with an 81.6 free throw percentage, also drew four charges against her former team.
CSU outshot NC Central, 44.2% to 28.0% and held a whopping 44-25 advantage on the glass which led to 11 second-chance points and 36 points in the paint. Coppin also made 22-of-29 (75.9%) free throws compared to NC Central's 21-of-37 (56.8%).
After the teams traded early buckets, Gamble and Morris led Coppin on a 7-0 run and took a 14-9 lead after the first quarter. CSU got an early layup by
Patricia Sosa Lora to start the second and a three by Henry, extending the advantage into double figures, but Central fought back to with 29-25 at the half, closing the period on a 6-0 run.
Central's Morgan Callahan hit two free throws to start the third period, getting the 5
th seed to within a bucket, but CSU once again would not let their rivals get over the hump. Gamble started another 7-0 run with a layup, and after Central broke its scoring drought, Coppin sustained another run to push its advantage to 45-29 at the 2:04 mark.
In the fourth, Central got to within nine points on a pair of occasions before Coppin pulled away with a 15-4 run.
Skylar Barnes got into the act with a floater and a corner three, giving the Navy & Gold its largest lead at 70-49 with just under a minute remaining.
Coppin will face top-seeded Howard in the MEAC Semifinals at 12 pm on Friday, March 13 at Norfolk Scope Arena.
