BALTIMORE (Interstat) — The South Carolina State women’s basketball team secured a 58-47 victory over Coppin State on Thursday night at the Coppin State Physical Education Complex. The Bulldogs built an early lead and maintained control throughout the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest. Lemyiah Harris led all scorers with 21 points for South Carolina State, which improved to 4-13. The Eagles, led by Khila Morris’ 11 points, shot just 23.8% from the field and fell to 3-14. Coppin State capitalized on turnovers, scoring 28 points off 18 South Carolina State giveaways, but could not overcome its own poor shooting night, including 4 of 24 from three-point range. The Bulldogs never trailed after the first quarter.

BALTIMORE (Interstat) — In a matchup of teams seeking a foothold in a difficult season, the South Carolina State Bulldogs found a path to victory through defense and the singular offensive prowess of guard Lemyiah Harris. The Bulldogs held the Coppin State Eagles to historically poor shooting and weathered a barrage of turnovers to secure a 58-47 win in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at the Coppin State Physical Education Complex. The game, played before an announced crowd of 236, was a stark contrast to pregame projections. Despite entering with a 3-14 record and facing a Coppin State team that statistical models heavily favored, South Carolina State methodically built and maintained a lead it would never relinquish. The foundation of the victory was a defensive effort that suffocated the Eagles’ offense. Coppin State shot a frigid 15 of 63 from the field, a rate of 23.8 percent. Their struggles were even more pronounced from beyond the arc, where they made only 4 of 24 attempts. The Eagles’ offensive rating of 67.7 points per 100 possessions underscored a night of frustration, as they failed to capitalize on 20 offensive rebounds and 18 South Carolina State turnovers, which they converted into 28 points. South Carolina State was far from efficient itself, committing 18 turnovers and shooting just 10 of 18 from the free-throw line. But the Bulldogs found enough offensive rhythm, particularly in the hands of Harris. The 5-foot-6 guard from Anniston, Alabama, delivered a game-high 21 points over 37 minutes, including three 3-pointers. Her scoring provided crucial stability for a Bulldogs team that managed only 10 assists on 21 made field goals. The most important sequence of the game arrived late in the third quarter, just as Coppin State threatened to build momentum. After the Eagles’ Skylar Barnes converted a layup off a South Carolina State turnover to cut the deficit to 37-35 with 14 seconds left in the period, Harris responded immediately. She took the ensuing inbounds pass, navigated the court, and drilled a 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer to push the lead back to five points. That shot halted Coppin State’s push and set the tone for the final quarter. Harris opened the fourth with another 3-pointer, part of a personal 8-0 run that extended over the quarter break, stretching the lead to 45-37 and forcing a Coppin State timeout. The Eagles never recovered, unable to mount a sustained offensive run against the Bulldogs’ persistent defense. Support for Harris came from Janiah Hinton, who added 7 points and 4 assists, and a strong interior defensive presence from 6-foot-3 freshman Ja’Siiyah Holmes of Augusta, Georgia. Holmes contributed 4 points, 3 blocks and 7 rebounds, anchoring a defense that held Coppin State to 22 points in the paint despite the Eagles’ significant rebounding advantage. Coppin State was led by Khila Morris of the Bronx, New York, who scored 11 points but needed 15 shots to do so. Barnes came off the bench to provide 10 points, while point guard Paris McBride of Richmond, Virginia, had 6 points, 3 assists and 3 steals but also committed 7 turnovers against persistent South Carolina State pressure. The win improved South Carolina State’s record to 4-13 overall and 1-1 in MEAC play, offering a positive start to the conference schedule after a non-conference slate filled with lopsided defeats. Coppin State fell to 3-14 and 1-1 in the conference. Both teams return to MEAC action on Saturday. South Carolina State travels to face Morgan State, while Coppin State hosts North Carolina Central.

Preview: South Carolina State at Coppin State Women’s Basketball BALTIMORE (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum to turn around identical slow starts will meet Thursday when the South Carolina State Bulldogs visit the Coppin State Eagles in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women’s basketball matchup. The game, scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026, at the Coppin State Physical Education Complex, features a pair of 3-13 squads. Both are coming off games played on Jan. 3, but with contrasting recent results. Coppin State snapped a five-game losing streak with a narrow 60-59 road victory over Delaware State. The Eagles were propelled by a dominant performance from forward Khila Morris, who scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Morris is averaging 14.4 points over her last five games and will be a primary focus for the Bulldogs’ defense. South Carolina State, meanwhile, enters on a four-game skid following a hard-fought 68-64 home loss to Howard. The Bulldogs rely heavily on guard Lemyiah Harris, who erupted for 28 points, four rebounds and three assists in that contest. Harris has scored in double figures in three of her last four outings, including a 14-point effort at Mississippi. Both teams have faced challenging non-conference schedules marked by lopsided road losses to power-conference opponents. The Bulldogs fell 89-41 at Florida State and 91-32 at Mississippi in December. The Eagles suffered defeats at Tennessee (88-35) and Oklahoma (100-46) in November. This contest represents an early opportunity for either team to gain a foothold in MEAC play. The matchup will hinge on the standout performers: Can Coppin State’s Morris control the interior again, or will South Carolina State’s Harris dictate the pace from the perimeter? The Eagles will look to protect their home court before hosting North Carolina Central on Saturday. The Bulldogs continue their road trip at Morgan State on Jan. 10. The teams will meet again in Orangeburg, South Carolina, on Feb. 12.