Norfolk, VA—Laila Lawrence scored a game-high 19 and Angel Jones added 14 to lead Coppin State to a 61-55 win over the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (15-15)  in the quarterfinal round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament at the Scope Arena.
 
The Eagles, the Number 4 seed, advance and will take on the Number 1 seed, Norfolk State in the semifinals on Friday 12 noon.
 
The two teams battled back and forth through the first three quarters with neither able to lead by more than three until the Eagles (12-17) were abler to finish strong in the third quarter and take a 44-38 lead into the final stanza. 

Lawrence, who connected on 7 of 14 from the floor and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds teamed with Jones to score 12 of their team’s 19 points in the third period.
 
In the fourth quarter, it was Angel Jones, who got into the act, tallying seven of her nine as Coppin State managed to keep the Hawks at bay by maintaining a seven to nine point advantage.
 
But UMES rallied on the scoring of Lainey Allen and Chaniqwa Gilliam, who led a surge that cut the deficit from 56-44 to 58-55 with a little under a minute remaining.
 
But Coppin State’s Mossi Staples thwarted the Hawks’ bid, converting on the last three free throws of the game to advance to the semis.
 
The game featured eight ties and eight lead changes but the Eagles scored 25 of their points off UMES turnovers.
 
Allen and Lainey each tallied ten to lead the Hawks.   The two teams had split during the regular season, with both teams winning on their home floors.

This is the third time the teams met in round one of the MEAC Tournament within the past five seasons, and Coppin's first victory within the three meets. 
 
Coppin State will advance to the semi-final game against No. 1 Norfolk State University on Friday, March 15th for a 12pm tip-off.