BALTIMORE — Coppin State men’s basketball team defeated Cheyney State 90-53 on Nov. 9 at PEC Arena as Malik Shackleford and Daveyon Lydner scored 16 points apiece. The victory improved Coppin State to 1-2 overall and 0-0 in MEAC play, while Cheyney fell to 0-3.
Five Coppin State players scored in double figures during the annual Education Day game, which nearly 3,000 elementary school students attended. The Eagles shot 54.8 percent from the field and held Cheyney to 25.4 percent shooting.
Balanced Scoring Leads Coppin State
Shackleford made 5 of 8 shots, including three 3-pointers, and added four rebounds, one assist and one steal. Lydner also shot 6 of 8 from the field while contributing three assists and one steal.
Baasil Saunders scored a career-high 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting and added eight rebounds, two assists and three steals. Jamari Piercy scored 12 points with two 3-pointers, while Hussain Williams posted 11 points and matched Piercy’s 3-point total.
Williams also recorded a career-high 12 rebounds for a double-double and blocked three shots. Camaren Sparrow led Coppin State’s starters with six points, three rebounds and two steals, while Tafara Gapare and Brendan Johnson each scored four points.
Coppin State Controls the Glass
Coppin State held a 47-35 rebounding advantage, scored 46 points in the paint and produced 21 second-chance points. The Eagles’ starters played limited minutes, each scoring at least one field goal.
Cheyney scored the game’s first point on a free throw before Coppin State took control. After Piercy’s 3-pointer gave the Eagles a 5-3 lead with 18:25 remaining in the first half, the team did not trail again.
The Eagles led 47-23 at halftime after Saunders scored on a dunk in the closing seconds. Coppin State later extended its advantage to 89-50 with 1:48 remaining after Williams made two free throws.
Additional Contributions
Josiah Brown added four points and seven rebounds. Favour Aire made his only shot attempt and blocked a shot.
Coppin State will play Bradley at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, in the Showdown in St. Pete at Eckerd’s McArthur Center.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Coppin State men’s basketball combined efficient shooting with advantages in rebounding, interior scoring and second-chance points. Shackleford and Lydner led the way, while Saunders and Williams delivered career-high performances in different statistical areas.
Source: Original report
