Bear Shots

BALTIMORE, Md. (Jan. 28, 2017)-Keena Samuels scored a game-high 14 points to lead four Coppin State players in double figures scoring, to help the host Eagles to a 61-45 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) victory over Morgan State on Saturday afternoon at the Physical Education Complex.
 
The Eagles improved to 4-15, 4-3 in the MEAC, while Morgan State dropped to 2-18, 0-7 MEAC. Coppin State also improved to 40-31 all-time against the Lady Bears and have now won the last three meetings against Morgan State.
 
Genesis Lucas scored 11 points and dished out four assists and Tiara Goode finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. Chance Graham recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Morgan State was led by Braennan Farrar, who finished with 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Tykyrah Williams scored eight points and Jihayah Chavis added seven points and had a team-high three assists. Jayde Duncan led the Lady Bears with five rebounds.
 
The Lady Bears shot 17-of-54 (31.5 percent) from the floor, including 3-for-18 (16.7 percent) from three-point range. Coppin State shot 36.5 percent (19-of-52) and converted on 2-of-12 (16.7 percent) from long range.
 
The host Eagles connected on 21-of-32 (65 percent) from the charity line, while Morgan State knocked down eight of their 14 free throw attempts for 57 percent.
 
Coppin State scored the first nine points of the game and went up by as much as 14 points in the first half (19-5), following a layup by Graham with 3:23 left in the opening quarter.
 
Chavis would connect on a three-pointer with 7:11 left in the second quarter, to cap off a 7-0 run to start the period and bring the Lady Bears within two points at 21-19. Coppin State would then score the next four points, as it closed out the half on a 9-6 run to take a 30-25 halftime lead.
 
A jumper by Farrar put the Lady Bears up 31-30, giving Morgan State its first lead of the game with 7:13 left in the third quarter. Chavis would later add two free throws to complete an 8-0 run for the Lady Bears to start the second half and give the guests a 33-30 advantage at the 6:38 mark, their largest of the game.
 
After Samuels hit a free throw to even the score at 35 all with 1:52 left in the third, Goode would convert on 3-of-4 free throws to give the hosts a 38-35 advantage at the end of three quarters of play. It would be a lead that the Eagles would never relinquish.
 
Zuri White followed up a three-pointer by Williams with a layup in the lane with 8:19 to go in the contest and bring the Lady Bears within a point at 41-40. But that would be as close as the guests would get. Coppin State would use a 13-0 spurt, while holding Morgan State scoreless over the next six minutes and 15 seconds of the fourth quarter to a 53-40 lead with 2:41 left in the game.
 
Farrar ended the scoring drought with a layup with 2:33 left in the game to make it a 53-42 game. The Eagles would close out the game, scoring the next eight points for the 61-42 lead, before Morgan State's Kaylin Ellis scored on a layup and added the free throw to complete a three-point play with seven seconds left.
 
Morgan State returns to action on Monday, Jan. 30, when it hosts Florida A&M in a MEAC contest at Hill Field House. Tip-off is at 5:30 p.m. The Rattlers were a 65-56 winner at Delaware State on Saturday.