Coppin State Defense Stymies Howard
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Baltimore, Md. - Julian Conyers and Mike Miller each scored 14 points, but it was a stifling defense that proved to be the difference as streaking Coppin State defeated Howard University, 68-45 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men's game at the Coppin Center. The win was the sixth straight for the Eagles (11-19 overall, 6-8 in the MEAC) while the slumping Bison (5-23 overall, 2-11 in the MEAC) dropped their eighth in a row.
Conyers provided the offense in the first half when he scored all of his points as Coppin State took a 39-26 lead at the break. The Eagles' defense held Howard to 38 percent shooting while aiding their own cause with 56 percent shooting effort.
Defensively, Coppin State was even more effective in the second half, holding the Bison to only six field goals and 24 percent (6 of 25) shooting. Many of Howard's possessions resulted in turnovers or forced shots. With no success in the post, the Bison were forced to go long range; they took 26 attempts from beyond the arc and made only six.
Eugene Myatt, the Bison's leading scorer, reached his average of a little over 14 points, but he got nine of those from the free throw line. Randy Hampton finished with 9 points, just under his average of 11 per game.
Coppin State's leading scorer Tywain McKee contributed 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the victory.
GAME NOTES: Kyle Riley, who has missed the past seven games with a back injury, returned to the lineup and scored two points and dealt out two assists in 17 minutes...Jeron Smith, who started the previous game against Morgan State, did not suit up due to a knee injury...Adam Walker continues to make a strong case for the All-Rookie team...the 6-8 freshman from New York, tallied 5 points and grabbed six rebounds and had another blocked shot...Howard lost the battle of points-in-the-paint, 26-8 and points-off-turnovers, 6-19.
NEXT UP: The Bison look to stop the bleeding when they host the rival Aggies of North Carolina A&T on Saturday at 4 pm in Burr while the Eagles look to continue their streak when they travel to Princess Anne, MD to take on the Hawks of Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday at 4 pm.