Women's Basketball 1/5/2008 5:00:00 AM MEAC Media Relations

Morgan State Snaps Coppin State 41-game MEAC Win Streak

When Morgan State defeated crosstown rival Coppin State in the semifinals of last year’s Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament, the Lady Bears put a halt to many streaks. They ended a 14-game losing skid to Coppin State, while ending the Lady Eagles’ 49 consecutive winning streak over MEAC opponents.

However, Coppin State still had one streak left, its 41 straight MEAC regular season wins. That too is now gone, as Morgan State’s Corin Adams scored a game-high 18 points and Shalane Price added 15, including four three-pointers, to lead the visiting Lady Bears to a 63-55 victory over host Coppin State on Saturday afternoon in the MEAC opener for both teams at the Coppin Center.

It was Morgan’s first MEAC opening win since an 86-62 victory over North Carolina A&T during the 1999-2000 season. It also marked the Lady Bears’ first back-to-back victories over Coppin State, since a four-game winning streak over the Lady Eagles, dating from Feb. 25, 1999-Feb.26, 2000.

Coppin State (5-9, 0-1 MEAC), which has dropped five of its last six games, suffered its first MEAC loss since a 51-50 defeat at home to Delaware State on Feb. 12, 2005. Rashida Suber scored a team-high 13 points and added a team-high five steals, while Danielle Anders added 11 points to lead the Lady Eagles. Jennifer Martin finished with nine rebounds, tying Morgan State’s Britney Griffin for game-high honors.

The Lady Bears (7-5, 1-0 MEAC) shot 33 percent (5-of-15) from three-point range, while holding host Coppin State to just 1-of-8 shooting (12 percent) from beyond the arc. Price knocked down back-to-back three-pointers with the last coming with 4:17 left in the contest, giving the visiting Lady Bears a 13-point (57-44) lead, its largest of the game.

There were six lead changes in the game, all coming in the first half. Two free throws from Martin put Coppin State up 13-12 with 13:15 left in the opening half. That would be the Lady Eagles’ last lead, as Morgan State responded with a 14-4 run to take a 28-17 lead with 2:07 left. However, Coppin State would close out the period on a 7-1 spurt, capped off by a three-pointer by Suber to cut Morgan’s lead to 29-24 at the break.

The Lady Bears, who lead the nation in steals (15.3), forced 22 turnovers, 13 of which were steals with Adams finishing with a game-high six. Morgan State scored 27 points off of Coppin’s turnovers, while the Lady Eagles scored 16 points on 16 Morgan State turnovers. Morgan also held a 28-12 advantage in points in the paint and outscored the hosts, 4-0 in fast break points. Coppin State outrebounded the guests 41-38 and had a 15-10 advantage in bench points.

Morgan State will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 12, when they travel to Greensboro, N.C., to visit North Carolina A&T. Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Corbett Sports Center.