ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Coppin State erased an early deficit and held off South Carolina State down the stretch to secure a 59-57 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory Monday(Feb.16) afternoon at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

The Bulldogs (6-18, 4-4 MEAC) led by as many as eight points in the first half and carried a 28-22 advantage into halftime, but Coppin State used a strong second-half surge to rally for the road win.

South Carolina State struggled to regain momentum after halftime despite balanced scoring. Owen Bronston Jr. finished with 11 points, Noah Treadwell added nine, and James Morrow contributed 10 points and five assists. Cameron Clark chipped in six points and a team-high seven rebounds.

The Bulldogs controlled much of the opening half, using defensive pressure and transition scoring to build a 28-20 lead late before settling for the six-point halftime margin. Coppin State, however, responded early in the second half, trimming the deficit, and eventually taking the lead during a back-and-forth stretch that featured eight lead changes.

lSouth Carolina State remained within striking distance in the final minutes, but Coppin State's defense forced key stops to preserve the two-point victory. The Eagles also capitalized on South Carolina State turnovers, scoring 23 points off miscues.

Both teams finished with 27 rebounds, while Coppin State's bench provided a significant boost with 32 points compared to 19 for South Carolina State.

Demariontay Hall and Hussain Williams each scored 12 points to lead Coppin State (6-21, 4-6 MEAC), while Khali Horton and Jamari Piercy added 11 points apiece. The Eagles shot an efficient 51.2% from the field in the contest, including 59.1% in the second half.

Next up South Carolina State remains in MEAC play Wednesday (Feb. 18) when they host North Carolina Central in a pivotal showdown inside Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. immediately following the women's contest.

ABOUT SC STATE ATHLETICS 
South Carolina State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 14 sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track & field, softball, men's and women's outdoor track and field, women's soccer and football with all teams competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), except for women's soccer. 
 
FOLLOW SOUTH CAROLINA STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE  
There are many ways to keep up with SCSU athletics online and on the go: 
• Visit www.scsuathletics.com, the official web site of Bulldog athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more.  
• Follow us on social media: 
Facebook: /SCStateAthletics 
Twitter: @SCStateAthletic 
Instagram: /SCStateAthletics