MEAC Tournament: Coleman helps CSU move into MEAC semifinals

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Coppin State senior forward Kyra Coleman had another performance to cherish against Maryland-Eastern Shore in the quarterfinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) tournament Thursday afternoon at the Scope Arena.

 

Coleman finished one assist shy of a triple-double in leading Coppin State to an 82-60 victory over UMES. She scored 22 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and handed out nine assists in 36 entertaining minutes. In the process, Coleman became the sixth Coppin State women’s basketball player in school history to eclipse the 1,300-point career mark when she made a foul shot with 18 minutes, 33 seconds remaining.

 

Coleman, who notched her fifth career double-double, has now scored 1,310 points. In three games this season against UMES, Coleman averaged 23.7 points and 10.0 rebounds. She dropped 30 points against the Hawks on Feb. 8 on the road. Two weeks later, Coleman had a double-double against UMES.

 

She had help from her senior teammates as Larrisa Carter and Ashle Craig contributed 15 points each for the Eagles (16-13 overall). Carter has scored 1,043 career points, just two behind Leola Spotwood’s total of 1,045 for 10th on the all-time school scoring list.

 

Coppin State received scoring from eight players to advance to the MEAC semifinals for the third straight season. Coppin will battle No. 2 seed North Carolina A&T (24-5) Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. The Eagles handed the Aggies one of their five losses this season, 59-50, in Greensboro on Jan. 27.

 

“We played pretty well today,” Derek Brown said. “I said coming in here you can’t judge UMES by its record. I just have a lot of respect for them because they are coached very well. They have good size and run good offense. The difference was that we were a little quicker than they were. The 22-point margin of victory is no indication of how tightly the game was played. I was never at ease until maybe 1:30 left in the game.”

 

As a team, the Eagles handed out 16 assists on their 29 baskets and recorded 13 steals. Craig was the chief pickpocketer for the Eagles with six thefts. Despite being outrebounded 54-44 by the Hawks, Coppin State was able to score 28 points off of 26 UMES turnovers.

 

UMES (9-21) was led in scoring by Te’Amber Burke’s 14 points and Chalyse Taylor’s 12 markers. Ashleigh Claybrooks cleaned the glass by finishing with 11 rebounds. The Hawks made eight 3-pointers to keep the pressure on Coppin State during the game. Mariah McCoy opened the second half by making a 3-pointer to pull UMES to within, 34-28 with 19:27 remaining.

 

The game belonged to Coppin State from that point on. The Eagles turned up the defensive heat and went berserk by unleashing a game-altering 20-4 run over an eight-minute stretch of the second half. By the time, the Eagles finished their scoring surge, Coppin State held a comfortable, 54-32, lead with 11:39 remaining. Five different Coppin State players scored at least two points during the run that featured seven UMES turnovers.

 

“Defense is our niche and that’s what we do best,” Carter said. “In order to win the championship that’s what its going to take. Everytime we step on the court, our defense is what we’re going to give the most energy on and the work the hardest. We work hard, play hard and we’re going to go after loose balls no matter who we play whether it’s the regular season or postseason. Our defense is and has been consistent and that’s what’s going to carry us.”

 

Even though Coppin State opened the game by scoring the first six points and zooming to an early 14-2 advantage, the Hawks refused to go quietly by striking for a quartet of 3-pointers to keep the game close. UMES pulled to within, 28-23 and 30-25 on two occasions in the final three minutes of the first half before Coppin State got baskets from Amber Griffin and Jordan Swails to end the half.

 

Tanaysa Henderson provided an electrical jolt off the bench as she scored six quick points to spark the Eagles after Griffin picked up second foul less than 90 seconds into the game.

 

Following the game, the talk turned to Coppin State’s terrific triumvirate of Coleman, Carter and Craig. To outsiders not familiar with watching the Eagles play this season, the efforts of those that trio was another day in the office.

 

“I see it everyday in practice and in games,” Brown said. “That’s what makes these ladies special. They’re very special to me. In the four years they have played, they have worked very hard and they give it up every single and I can’t complain about one single practice, maybe one or two. But in four years, they have tirelessly gone at it and to see the numbers they are putting up, I am not surprised and it’s well deserved.”

By Rob Knox
COURTESY COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION