Rattlers Hold Off Coppin State 60-58
Florida A&M 60, Coppin State 58
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Brandon Holsey and Amin Stevens combined to score 33 points and Florida A&M held off a late Coppin State charge to defeat the Eagles 60-58 in a MEAC game on Monday in the Lawson Center.
Florida A&M (9-14, 4-6 MEAC) led 56-46 with 3:58 to play in the game before the Eagles stormed back. Michael Harper connected on a three-pointer that jump started an 11-3 run that brought Coppin State to with 59-57 with 50 seconds to play.
Holsey made one free throw with 22 seconds left to increase the lead to 60-57. Ceslovas Kucinskas cut the lead to 60-58 by making the first of two free throws with 20 seconds left in the game. He missed the second free throw and the Eagles regained possession with an offensive rebound by Akeem Ellis, but his jumper was off the mark.
The Eagles had one more chance to tie the game, but Jordan Lee missed a jumper with 3 seconds to play.
Coppin State (11-11, 6-4 MEAC) was led by Ellis who scored a game-high 21 points. Lee had 11 points and Harper added 10.
Holsey finished with 17 points and Stevens had 16 for the Rattlers.
For the complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com or www.famurattlersports.com
Bison Parlay Inside Game and Free Throw Shooting into Win Over SC State
Howard 65, South Carolina State 53
Washington, DC-February 7---Mike Phillips poured in 17 of his career-high 26 points in the second half and Dadrian Collins and Alphonso Leary added 19 and 12 respectively to lead Howard University to a 65-53 win over South Carolina State in a MEAC men's game at Burr Gymnasium.
The Bison (5-18 overall, 3-7 in the MEAC) took control early and led 17-10 at the 12:08 mark. The Bulldogs (6-17, 2-8 in the MEAC), however, closed with a 19-9 run that gave them a 29-26 advantage at the break.
Howard came out in the second half and began to establish it's inside presence with Phillips, Leary and occasionally Collins as they took turns posting up smaller Bulldog defenders. The result was improved shooting from the field and trips to the free throw line. After shooting only 38 percent from the floor and going to the line only four times in the first half, the Bison connected on 50 percent (11 of 22) and 19 trips to the charity stripe.
Phillips was 5 for 8 from the field in the second half and Leary was 4 for 8. SC State had problems with the matchups and was forced to foul. For one of the rare times this season, the Bison were able to hit their free throws, shooting a season-best 81 percent for the game, 90 percent (15 of 17) in the second half.
Collins showed versatility in his game with post-up moves and drives to the basket. He was two for four from three-point range, including a key long bomb with the shot clock winding down that gave the team some breathing room. But he was five of six from the line down the stretch.
South Carolina State was led by Khalif Toombs, who led his team with 13 points and Omar Sanders contributed nine.
For the complete story, visit www.howard-bison.com or www.scsuathletics.com
High Point Outlasts Second Half Rally By NCCU
High Point 82, North Carolina Central 74
HIGH POINT, N.C. - With 15:34 left in the first half, the Eagles of North Carolina Central and the High Point Panthers were tied at five. Over the next ten minutes, NCCU was outscored 25-6 to find themselves behind at 30 to 11 with 5:39 to go, thanks in part to key plays by the Panthers ended up being just enough to vault HPU to the 82-74 win despite the valiant second half effort by the Eagles on Monday night inside the Millis Center in High Point, N.C.
Landon Clement struggled in the first 20 minutes going 1-for-7 mustering only a 1-for-3 effort from the outside scoring just three points.
The second half saw a totally different NCCU ballclub step on the floor as C.J. Wilkerson and Clement started to heat up leading a 15-4 spurt through the first four minutes cutting the deficit to four at 42-38, but on the ensuing Panther possession, point guard Jairus Simms took the ball strong the hole getting a layup and the foul to put HPU back up by seven after the made free throw with 15:48 to go.
High Point went on to stretch the lead back out to 15 when senior guard David Campbell hit his only three game of the night putting the Panthers up 61-46 with 8:58 to go.
Tremendous free throw shooting for High Point allowed the Panthers to hang on over the final minutes as HPU went an astounding 21-for-23 (91.3%) from the line to hang on for the 82-74 win.
Both Clement and Wilkerson tied for a game-high 24 points to lead the Eagles, while freshman Jeremy Ingram scored in double-figures for the second straight contest with 14 points while showing the poise of a senior at the free throw line going 7-for-10. The Eagles ran their record to 10-2 when Chasten scores in double-figures as the junior ended up with 10 points and five rebounds in the loss.
High Point's (10-13, 6-7 Big South) leading scorer, Nick Barbour, finished with 19 points while his backcourt mate Shine went a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe in his 18-point effort for the Panthers.
For the complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com
Hornets Hit 13 Treys, Send Spartans to 2nd Straight Loss
Delaware State 91, Norfolk State 83
DOVER, Del. - Host Delaware State hit 13 3-pointers, six coming from guard Casey Walker, as the Hornets sent Norfolk State to its second straight loss, 91-83, in an ESPNU televised game on Monday night at Memorial Hall.
Walker scored 24 points to lead five Hornets (9-13, 5-5 MEAC) in double figures. Kyle O'Quinn had 21 points and 14 rebounds while Pendarvis Williams added a career-high 18 points to pace the Spartans (7-15, 5-5), who surrendered at least 88 points for the third straight game.
Thirteen of DSU's 30 made field goals Monday night came from beyond the 3-point arc, tying Ohio for the most treys by a Spartan opponent this season. DSU guard Chad Wilson added 14 points and four 3-point baskets, Desi Washington (19 points) made two and Jay Threatt (11 points) one. The Hornets complemented their sharp shooting by committing a MEAC season-low four turnovers.
Walker hit four of his 3-pointers in the first half, when DSU shot 54 percent and forced 12 NSU turnovers. The Hornets used an 18-2 burst late in the half, highlighted by treys from Walker and Washington, to take a 33-17 lead, their largest of the half, with four minutes remaining in the period.
NSU could get no closer than seven points in the second half. The Hornets were nearly flawless on offense after halftime, hitting 8 of their 13 3-point attempts and committing just one turnover.
O'Quinn recorded his 11th double-double of the season. Like Saturday, he overcame a sluggish first half by scoring 19 second-half points. He was 9-of-12 from the floor. Williams, meanwhile, hit four 3-pointers Monday, a season high, en route to the top scoring game of his young career. He was 6-of-12 from the floor.
Aleek Pauline added 13 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Spartans. Rob Hampton chipped in with 14 points and Brandon Wheeless scored a season-high 13 on 6-of-7 shooting off the bench.
Marques Oliver added 15 points and 10 rebounds for DSU, which overcame a 37-19 rebounding deficit to snap its four-game losing skid.
For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.dsuhornets.com
Recaps to Follow:
Morgan State 65, Bethune-Cookman 57
Maryland Eastern Shore 83, North Carolina A&T 82
Savannah State 63, Texas A&M CC 57