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Game 19
Opponent: Coppin State Eagles (3-14, 2-3 MEAC)
Date: Saturday, January 20, 2018
Site: Baltimore, Md. (Physical Education Complex Arena)
Game Time: 2 p.m. 
Series Record: Morgan State leads series, 40-32
Radio: WEAA 88.9 FM / HSRN.com
Watch: coppinstatesports.com
Websites: www.MorganStateBears.com | www.coppinstatesports.com
 
BALTIMORE, Md. (Jan. 18, 2018)-The Morgan State women's basketball team returns to the court this Saturday, Jan. 20 when it visits crosstown rival Coppin State for Round One of the annual "East vs. West" game at 2 p.m. at the Physical Education Complex on the campus of Coppin State University. The game will be streamed live on coppinstatesports.com.
 
The Lady Bears will look to recover from back-to-back road losses last week at North Carolina A&T, 67-60 and North Carolina Central, 60-57. The losses put an end to the Lady Bears' four-game winning streak, and knocked Morgan State from a first-place tie in the league standings to sixth entering Saturday's contest with Coppin State.
 
This will be the 73rd meeting between the two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and city rivals. Coppin State holds a 40-32 series lead, but you can throw out the stats and the records when these two meet.
 
"Being from Baltimore, the Morgan-Coppin rivalry has always been a big deal to Baltimore sports fans," said Morgan State junior guard/forward Adre'onia Coleman. "This rivalry is very equal to the City-Poly game. Everyone wants to see who is the best in the City. It may also turn into an East vs. West battle between Morgan-Coppin. It also gives each school bragging rights."
 
Despite this being her first Morgan-Coppin game as a player, Coleman is no stranger to the rivalry. The St. Francis Academy product attended games growing up and is familiar with the intense atmosphere of the rivalry.
 
"Growing up I attended almost every Morgan-Coppin rivalry game, because that was the only thing to do on that day, and I knew I would catch some great basketball with a great crowd," said Coleman. "The atmosphere of this game is very intense and can be overwhelming at times."
 
"For this to be my first Morgan-Coppin rivalry game, it really doesn't mean anything to me, because I always come to play no matter the atmosphere or my opponent," said Coleman, who enters the contest averaging 9.7 points and ranks second on the team in rebounding at 6.1 per game. "But being a part of history is always a good feeling."
 
BEAR CLAWS: Morgan State (10-8, 3-2 MEAC) is coming off a 60-57 loss at North Carolina Central (NCCU) on Monday. Durham, N.C. native Tykyrah Williams recorded a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds and had a game-high four steals, while Adre'onia Coleman added 11 points. Lexus Spears fell shy of a double-double with 10 rebounds and eight points. Morgan State shot just eight free throws in the game, making four of them. NCCU went to the line 31 times and connected on 22. Spears has paced the Lady Bears this season with 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, both team highs. Braennan Farrar is adding 11.7 points and leads the team in assists (68) and steals (49), while Williams is scoring 10.8 points and 6.0 rebounds. Coleman is just under 10 points at 9.7 per game and is pulling down 6.0 rebounds. Morgan State is averaging 63 points per game and surrendering 63.6 to its opponents.
 
BIRD SEEDS: Coppin State (3-14, 2-3 MEAC) also went winless down in North Carolina over the weekend and enters the Morgan State game on a two-game losing skid. The Eagles suffered a tough 64-63 loss at N.C. A&T on Monday. Coppin State held an 11-point (52-41) advantage heading into the fourth quarter, and was up 63-62 with 11 seconds remaining in the game when it missed two free throws. Following a defensive rebound and a timeout called by A&T, the Lady Aggies would get a game-winning jumper from Alexus Lessears for the one-point win. Genesis Lucas scored a game-high 22 points, while Chance Graham added 20 points and nine rebounds in the loss. Oluwadamilol Oloyede recorded a double-double with 11 points and a team-best 10 rebounds. The Eagles are led by Lucas, who is averaging 19.0 points per game and leads the team in assists (77) and steals (46). Graham is the only other Coppin player scoring double figures at 11.3 per game and is grabbing a team-high 9.1 rebounds per outing. Coppin State has averaged 55.2 points per game this season, while allowing 73.6 by its opponents.
 
MORGAN STATE VS. COPPIN STATE SERIES NOTES: The Eagles hold a 40-32 all-time series lead over Morgan State after the two teams split last season's match-ups, each winning on their own home floor. Coppin State won the first meeting, 61-45 on Jan. 28, 2017 and the Lady Bears ended a three-game losing skid to Coppin State with a 71-42 victory in the home finale at Hill Field House on Feb. 27, 2017.
 
NEXT UP: Morgan State will return home for a mini two-game homestand starting with a MEAC contest against Delaware State on Monday, Jan. 22 at 5:30 p.m. at Hill Field House. The Lady Bears will then welcome South Carolina State on Monday, Jan. 29 for a 5:30 p.m. contest, which will close out the first half of the MEAC slate.
 
BACK ON THE SIDELINE: Morgan State head coach Ed Davis, Jr. will return to the sideline this Saturday when the Lady Bears take on crosstown rival Coppin State. Coach Davis missed the previous two games, losses at North Carolina A&T (1/13) and North Carolina Central (1/15), due to flu-like symptoms. It marked the first time in 634 games of coaching that Davis had to miss a game, let alone two.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
FARRAR ON THE RISE: Braennan "BeBe" Farrar continues to make her move up several of Morgan State's statistical charts. Farrar currently ranks fourth all-time at Morgan State in assists with 321. The St. Louis, Mo. native sits in fourth-place all-time in steals at Morgan State with 214. Farrar also ranks seventh in scoring with 1,407 points, just three points away from passing former Lady Bear Kaira Warfield (1,409 points from 1993-97) for sixth-place.
 
WILLIAMS CLOSING IN ON 1,000 PTS/500 REBS CLUB: Senior Tykyrah Williams is on the verge of becoming the seventh Lady Bear player to join the 1,000 points and 500 rebounds club at Morgan State. Williams currently has scored 924 points and has grabbed 512 rebounds during her career. Williams became the 12th player to record 500 rebounds at Morgan State when she pulled down seven boards at N.C. A&T (1/13) to give her 501 for her career.
 
A NEW SEASON: What a difference a year makes. Last season the Lady Bears finished the 2016-17 campaign with a 9-21 mark. This year, Morgan State head coach Ed Davis Jr. has already guided the Lady Bears to 10 wins through their first 16 games. A year ago the Lady Bears didn't record their ninth and final win until the 29th game of the season, a 66-62 road victory at Maryland Eastern Shore on March 2, 2017.
 
TRACKING SPEARS TO NO. 500: Senior forward Lexus Spears needs 18 more rebounds to reach 500 for her career. Spears, who enters this weekend's games with 482 career rebounds, has pulled down a team-leading 129 boards this season for an average of 7.2 rebounds per game.
 
HOLD UM UNDER 60 POINTS: During the Lady Bears' most recent four-game winning streak, Morgan State had held three of those opponents to under 60 points. The Lady Bears are a perfect 8-0 this season when holding their opponents under 60 points. Of those eight victories, twice (Lincoln-Pa. and Central Connecticut) the Lady Bears surrendered an opponent low 41 points.
 
NOT UP IN HERE: The Lady Bears remained unbeaten at Hill Field House this season, when it defeated Savannah State, 73-67 on Monday, Jan. 8 to improve to 8-0 at home with the win. Morgan State will return home on Jan. 22 to host Delaware State at 5:30 p.m.
 
DAVIS EARNS 360TH VICTORY: Morgan State head coach Ed Davis Jr. secured his 360th career coaching victory, following the Lady Bears' 63-50 win over Maryland Eastern Shore in the MEAC opener on Wednesday, Jan. 3. Davis, who is in his sixth season with the Lady Bears and second as head coach, has guided his teams to a total of four NCAA Tournament appearances, while at Bowie State (3) and Delaware State (1) and two Division II Sweet 16 appearances. He currently has an overall record of 362-272.