Coppin State and North Carolina Central move to the semifinals

The highest 4 seeds within the ladies’s bracket of the Mid-Jap Athletic Convention made it via to Friday’s semifinal spherical following Coppin State and North Carolina Central Thursday wins.

The 4th-seeded Eagles had been snarled in a battle with No. 5 seed Maryland-Jap Shore that was nearer than the 61-55 closing signifies.

A aggressive first half noticed the Combating Hawks (15-15) main 27-25 at halftime following a nifty spin transfer layup and free throw by guard Chaniqwa Gilliam.

Coppin State (12-17) rallied behind junior ahead Laila Lawrence, who scored a game-high 17 factors and grabbed 9 rebounds, 12 factors from guard Angel Jones and eight factors from Tiffany Hammond.

The Eagles led by as many as 9 factors (51-42) after a Lawrence layup, however UMES closed to inside 58-55 after a Cache Wilson layup. The Hawks couldn’t get any nearer as a free throw by Jones and two extra by Mossi Staples closed out the scoring.

Coppin State now advances to play top-seed Norfolk State in Friday’s semifinals. Gilliam and ahead Lainey Allen led Maryland-Jap Shore with 10 factors every.

North Carolina Central in the meantime held off a decided Delaware State crew 66-56 to safe a date with No. 2 seed Howard within the semis.

Delaware State (8-20) led 46-38 within the third quarter, however an 11-0 Eagle run between the tip of the third and the start of the fourth quarter, capped by a Morgan Callahan layup, gave Central (16-14) the lead for good. A Kimiera Burks three-pointer with 2 1/2 minutes to go opened a 60-50 lead for NCCU, and so they held serve the remainder of the way in which.

Burks led the Eagles with 13 factors, Aniya Finger added 12 factors and ten rebounds and Janiah Jones contributed 11 factors. Denijsha Wilson and Savannah Brooks led Delaware State with 16 factors every.