March 6, 2007

Box Score

Raleigh, N.C. - Coppin State University found a way down the stretch to stop a resilient Bethune-Cookman University squad, 56-44 in the first round of the 2007 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C.

Whenever B-CU (9-21) made a run, the Eagles of Coppin State were there with an answer. According to B-CU head coach Clifford Reed, Jr., that summed up the entire season.

"This is how it has been all year or us," admits Coach Reed. "We made some big plays, but then we couldn't hit the simple shots like lay-ups and free throws. That killed us all year, and certainly did the same thing tonight."

With B-CU trailing 24-21 at the half, Coppin State (12-19) continued to try and speed up the game with a variety of presses and traps on the Wildcats guards.

When CSU's Darryl Roberts connected on a three-pointer with 10:49 left in the game, the Eagles appeared to be cruising away as they looked up on the right end of a 36-29 advantage. That's when the `Cats made one of several attempts to cut into the deficit.

The savior of the last two weeks, Dewayne Pettus stroked a huge lay-up as he cut backdoor, and that was followed by another backdoor lay-up from senior center Ron Mitchell to cut the lead down to 36-33 with 9:20 left in the game.

But a three-pointer from CSU's playmaker Tywain McKee and a lay-up from Antwan Harrison pushed the Eagles lead back up to 46-37 with 5:49 remaining.

The Wildcats were forced to try and speed up things at that point, and that's exactly what CSU wanted.

"We knew Coppin [State] and Fang [head coach Mitchell] were going to try and speed us up tonight," exclaimed Cliff Reed, Jr. "That's what they did to us at their place, but we did what we wanted to do tonight except capitalize on the big plays, once again."

The CSU lead would swell out to as many as 12 (53-41) on foul shots by McKee, as the `Cats were in serious foul trouble all night with big man John Anderson and junior Jimmy Hudson saddled with fouls all night.

Coppin State made some free throws down the stretch and B-CU was unable to stroke any shots late as the Eagles held on for the first round win. B-CU's streak of Quarterfinal losses continues as they have NEVER made it past the second round of the MEAC Tourney, including last year's heartbreaking loss to eventual champion Hampton after receiving bye as they finished tied for third in the league.

CSU was led on the night by McKee with 19 points, as well as Harrison with 16 points of his own.

The Wildcats of B-CU were led by Dewayne Pettus and his 17-point effort, as well as Hudson's 12-point explosion, nine of which came in the first half. Ron Mitchell did the work on the boards for the `Cats with six rebounds ... a game-high in that category.

With the loss tonight, the Wildcats suffered the worst season since the 2003-04 campaign in which they went just 8-24. The two years after that, Bethune-Cookman collected at least 13 wins, including the first non-losing season on the Division I level last year where they went 15-15.

"This was not the season we anticipated at the start of the year, but it is one we will accept and learn from in a number of ways," admits Coach Reed. "I could have done some things differently, and so could the players, but we will bounce back next year and be ready. This is what you call a growing and learning year for us."