Courtesy of Coppin State Athletic Communications


Box Score


DURHAM, N.C. - Aliyah Lawson scored a game-high 14 points to lead the Coppin State women's basketball team to a 66-43 victory over North Carolina Central on Wednesday night in the McDougald-McLendon Arena. 

With the victory, Coppin is now 2-0 in conference play for the first time since 2016-17 and its 8-7 mark is their best start since the 2006-07 campaign.   

Lawson, who hit three 3-pointers and dished out four assists, led a well-balanced Coppin attack that featured four players in double figures. Jaia Alexander was the second leading scorer with 13 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. Jalynda Salley tallied double digits in rebounds with 11, to go along with eight points.

Jewel Watkins had a big night with 10 points, eight rebounds, and went  2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Mossi Staples finished the game with 11 points, four assists and led all players with three steals.

Colleen Bucknor contributed six points, six rebounds and shot 3-of-3 from the field.

Coppin State dominated the glass with a season-high 59 rebounds compared to Central's 40. Coppin recorded 19 offensive rebounds, which turned into 20 second-chance points.     

Coppin led the majority of the first half and outscored N.C. Central on the glass, 31-21. Coppin held a four-point lead going into the second half.   

Staples set the tone in the third quarter and sparked a 9-0 Coppin run to extend the Eagles' lead to 40-30 with 3:44 left in the third quarter. The teams played virtually even for the remainder of the period before Coppin pulled away in the final ten minutes.  

N.C. Central had no solutions for Coppin in the fourth, as they were outscored 22-7. Bucknor scored back-to-back field goals, followed by a pair of threes from Lawson to put Coppin on 10-0 run which gave them a 54-38 lead with just under six minutes left to play. Following a Central bucket, Coppin went on another 7-0 run, which included a three by Watkins to seal the win.