Score: Morgan State 89 OT | Coppin State 86
Location: Physical Education Complex (PEC), Baltimore, Md.
Records: Morgan State 5-14, 1-2 | Coppin State 2-15, 1-2
The short story: Wynston Tabbs and Will Thomas combined for 11 points in overtime to lead the Morgan State men's basketball team to an 89-86 victory against Coppin State Saturday at PEC Arena. The Bears snapped a 6-game losing streak and improved to 5-14 overall and 1-2 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play. The Eagles dropped to 2-15 (1-2 MEAC).
OPENING TIP
- Redshirt-senior guard Wynston Tabbs scored seven of his 25 points (7-12 FG) in overtime. He also added four steals, three boards and converted 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
- Junior 6-foot-10 forward Allen Udemadu finished with a career-high 24 points on 7-for-8 shooting and connected on 10-of-12 free throws. He also led the Bears on the glass with seven boards and had two blocks before fouling out of the ballgame.
- Redshirt-junior Will Thomas added 17 points (7-14 FG) off the bench and recorded three steals in 27 minutes. Sophomore Rob Lawson added 10 points (6-8 FT), four assists and two steals in 26 minutes.
- Ryan Archey, a freshman from Clinton, Md., led the Eagles with a game-high 26-points on 8-of-11 shooting.
- Freshman guard Aa'Reyon Minir-Jones scored 15 points (4-8 FG), while junior Greg Spurlock finished with 14 points and a game-high eight rebounds. Freshman Cameron Sparrow added 12 points for the Eagles.
THE DIFFERENCE
- Morgan connected on 45 percent of their shots from the field and was 3 of 15 from behind the arc, while the Eagles shot 50 percent from the field and connected on 6 of 17 (.353) 3-pointers.
- Morgan shot .889 (32-36) from the free throw line, compared to the Coppin's .750 percent (30-40).
- The Bears outscored the Eagles in the paint by a 40-34 margin.
- Coppin outrebounded the Bears 31-30, but the Bears held a 13-11 advantage on the offensive boards.
- The Eagles scored 23 points off of forcing 18 Morgan turnovers.
- The teams were knotted at 34-34 at halftime.
- Tabbs scored on a layup that gave the Bears an 86-85 lead in the extra session and the Bears stayed ahead from there.
- Sparrow buried a 3-pointer from just inside the halfcourt line as time expired to tie the game at 76 to force overtime. Tabbs' layup gave Morgan a 74-68 lead with 1:31 remaining in regulation before Coppin went on an 8-2 run with the Eagles connecting on 3-of-4 free throws down the stretch.
- Udemadu's completed a 3-point play with 15 minutes remaining broke a 41-all tie and the Bears proceeded to outscore the Eagles behind an 20-5 run (61-46) over a 5-minute stretch. Udemade hit a pair of free throws to extend the Bears to their largest lead of the night to 63-48 with 9:13 remaining.
- Udemadu fouled out with 6:08 left in regulation and the Bears holding a 68-53 advantage.
- Coppin closed out regulation by outscoring the Bears 28-13.
NOTABLE
- CSU leads the series 63-40
- Morgan's previous win against Coppin State was on January 14, 2023.
- Morgan is 1-0 when the score is tied at halftime
- Morgan is 1-2 in games decided by 4 points or less
- It was Morgan's first overtime win since defeating North Carolina Central, 78-73, on Jan. 7, 2023
- Tabbs' 25 points and Udemadu's 24 points marked the fifth time this season the Bears have had a pair of players score 20 or more points in a game.
QUOTABLE
MSU Coach Kevin Broadus on Sparrow's shot to send the game into overtime...
"When a kid hits a halfcourt shot like that at the end, I told these guys, 'Don't put your head down. We're built for this because we practice hard every day,'" he said. "The running paid off. We never were tired, and in the end, we never gave up. Guys stepped up. It was just a big team victory."
UP NEXT
The Bears return to the Hill Field House hardwood on Saturday, January 27 for a 4:30 p.m. tip versus Howard (8-12, 2-2).
FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more.
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
