NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State dropped a conference matchup against Coppin State on Monday night, falling 69-62 at Echols Hall against the Eagles.
 
Norfolk State honored six seniors prior to Monday's tip: Yoro Sidibe, Chris Ford, Cahiem Brown, Dana Tate Jr., Kris Bankston, and Joe Bryant Jr. Tate led the Spartans in the stat column in the loss, posting 11 points and eight rebounds.
 
Norfolk State dropped to 19-8 on the season with the result, 8-3 in the MEAC.
 
An all-senior starting five got the Spartans on a quick roll. Tate knocked down a 3-pointer from the wing before Brown made a floater. Tate followed that bucket with a step-back jump shot and Bryant made all three free throws on a 3-point foul, putting the Spartans ahead 10-0 before Coppin State could get its bearings straight.
 
The Eagles responded with a six-point swing to pull within four, but Terrance Jones knocked down a timely three ball to get the Spartans back on track.
 
Norfolk State's cushion reached as large as 14 after a layup and 3-pointer from Nyzaiah Chambers, but Coppin State closed the half on a 15-5 run to cut the deficit to four.
 
The Eagles kept that momentum going in the second period, using a 15-2 push to take a nine-point lead which forced a Norfolk State timeout.
 
Norfolk State earned itself a paint score out of the timeout, but the Eagles responded with a corner 3-pointer at the other end to go ahead by 10, their largest lead of the night.
 
The Spartans began to chip away at the deficit, however, starting with a Tate 3-pointer. After an awkward landing forced Bryant to miss a lengthy stretch of the night, the Norfolk native checked back in to a thunderous applause, immediately making an impact with a crafty score moments later.
 
As the Spartans inched closer and closer, the Spartan crowd gave a euphoric roar when Bankston spun off a defender, soaring for a one-handed slam to cut the Eagles' lead to two points.
 
But Coppin State wouldn't back down, as Mike Hood knocked down the crucial 3-pointer in the final minutes to put the Eagles back ahead by nine. Bryant responded with a three on the other end, but Coppin State converted at the free throw down the stretch to hold on.
 
The Spartans look to bounce back on the road Saturday, facing South Carolina State for the second time this season.