Coppin State University men’s basketball opened its season with an 88-54 loss to Virginia Tech on Nov. 3 at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Va. Brendan Johnson led the Eagles with a career-high 17 points, but Virginia Tech took control after building a 45-27 halftime lead.
Johnson, a junior from Baltimore, made 8 of 13 field-goal attempts, including one 3-pointer. He also grabbed six rebounds and recorded two steals after entering the game with eight career points. Sven Djopmo added eight points off the bench on 3-of-7 shooting and also set a career high.
Coppin State University Men’s Basketball Faces Early Deficit
Johnson scored the first two points on a midrange jumper to give Coppin State an early 2-0 lead. Virginia Tech answered with eight consecutive points and did not trail again. The Hokies extended their advantage to 19-9 before Josiah Brown scored on a free throw with 11:58 remaining in the first half.
Virginia Tech led by as many as 39-17 after a 3-pointer with 2:43 remaining before halftime. Coppin State cut the deficit to 45-27 at the break, but the Hokies opened the second half with six straight points. Camaren Sparrow then scored seven consecutive points for the Eagles, bringing Coppin State within 54-36 with 14:39 remaining.
Virginia Tech responded with six straight points and extended its lead for the remainder of the game. The Hokies shot 50.0% from the field, compared with 36.5% for Coppin State, and made 13 of 28 3-point attempts. Virginia Tech also converted 17 of 26 free throws.
Turnovers Create Separation for Virginia Tech
Coppin State made two 3-pointers and went 14 of 24 from the free-throw line. The Eagles also committed 24 turnovers, which Virginia Tech converted into 26 points. Those differences in shooting and ball security helped the Hokies maintain control after their first-half run.
Sparrow finished with seven points, four rebounds and two blocks. Baasil Saunders added six points, while Brown scored five points and recorded two steals. Favour Aire grabbed six rebounds and blocked one shot, and Tafara Gapare blocked two shots in his Coppin State debut.
Next Game for Coppin State University Men’s Basketball
Coppin State returns to action Friday, Nov. 6, at George Mason. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tipoff and will stream on ESPN+.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Johnson’s 17-point performance provided a positive individual result for Coppin State in a difficult season opener. His efficient shooting, six rebounds and two steals highlighted the Eagles’ offensive and defensive production in the loss.
Coppin State will need to improve its ball security and perimeter production after Virginia Tech turned 24 turnovers into 26 points and limited the Eagles to two 3-pointers. The matchup with George Mason is the Eagles’ next opportunity to build on Johnson’s performance.
Source: Original report
