Box Score
NORFOLK, Va. – Jordan Lee scored a game-high 20 points off the Coppin State bench, and the Eagles' tough zone defense was the difference in a 76-69 CSU win over Norfolk State on Monday night at Echols Hall.
CSU (15-13, 10-5 MEAC) limited the Spartans (9-19, 7-8) to 41 percent shooting and scored 19 points off 18 NSU turnovers. The Eagles' zone defense also made the going difficult for NSU center Kyle O'Quinn, who had just nine points and four rebounds. Instead, the Spartans tried nearly half of their field goal attempts from beyond the 3-point arc. NSU made good on just 7-of-30 (23 percent) from long distance, including just 2-of-14 (14 percent) after halftime.
The Spartans, however, used some stingy defense of their own to take a 31-27 halftime lead. NSU outscored the Eagles 11-3 over the final 4 minutes, 45 seconds of the opening half. Tim Zephyr scored five of the 11. The Eagles shot just 36 percent in the first half.
NSU went ahead 35-27 after two quick O'Quinn baskets to start the second half. But he would not score again. The Eagles, meanwhile, went on a 9-0 run to take the lead. Lee gave CSU the lead for good, 44-42, after a traditional three-point play with 12:38 remaining in the game.
The advantage stretched to 13, 61-48, after Michael Harper and Branden Doughty combined to go 4-of-4 from the line with 9:04 left a personal foul and subsequent technical on O'Quinn. NSU couldn't get closer than five points the rest of the way.
CSU shot 24-of-28 from the foul line (86 percent) – 20-of-24 in the second half – while the Spartans hit just 12-of-19 (63 percent) on the evening.
Harper chipped in with 14 points while Vince Goldsberry and Tony Gallo had 13 each for CSU.
Brandon Wheeless scored 16 points off the bench to pace the Spartans, matching his season high. He also tied Aleek Pauline for team-high honors with seven rebounds. Pauline added 10 points, six assists and three steals.
With the loss, the Spartans are assured of playing in the first round of the MEAC Tournament. NSU is currently tied for sixth place in the MEAC with Florida A&M, but neither team can finish higher than sixth.
NSU closes out its regular season at home against North Carolina A&T at 8 p.m. Thursday night.
