COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY 20 @MEACSPORTS MEACSPORTS Coppin State 2015-16 Season Preview Coppin State head women’s basketball coach Derek Brown enters his 17th year at the helm with an experienced and talented team. The Lady Eagles return four starters and three of their top returning scorers from last season’s team that advanced to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) tournament quarterfinals. While the returning nucleus endured some growing pains during 2014-15 against a tough schedule that produced seven victories, this season has the potential to be different. “We learned a lot, even though our record didn’t show it,” Brown said. “Throughout the year there was a learning process going on. We sort of hit a perfect storm as far as our schedule was concerned. Our schedule wasn’t kind to us and we lost some games coming down the stretch that we should’ve won but I think in the end, beating (Morgan State in the MEAC Tournament) helped us a lot and helped our psyche for this year. They understand what it’s going to take to get into the championship game. We’ll see how much work they put in during the offseason to get themselves better and go for a championship.” Overall Coppin State has 10 players returning that from last season. Seven of those players averaged at least 10 minutes and started at least one game. They accounted for 84.7 percent of Coppin State’s point production. Many of the returnees also played significant roles in leading the Lady Eagles to the 2013-14 MEAC Tournament championship game. Coppin State’s top two returning scorers will be 5-foot-11 senior forward Jordan Swails and 6-0 senior forward Janelle Lane. They averaged 11.2 and 10.0 points per game, respectively last season. Genesis Lucas, a 5-7 sophomore guard, added 8.9 points per game while 5-3 senior guard Amber Griffin scored at a 7.3 point per game clip for the Lady Eagles. Swails enjoyed a breakout season as junior that ended with her being selected to the MEAC All-Tournament team. She also averaged 6.0 rebounds per contest, which was second on the team and 13th in the MEAC. Swails made a team-best 30 3-pointers and was second in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (38.5). Swails was second on the team and 10th in the MEAC in field-goal percentage (45.6), and also led the Lady Eagles with 48 steals. Lane was third on the team in rebounds, averaging 4.7 per game, and ninth in the MEAC in field-goal percentage (46.5). She was also 11th in the MEAC in blocked shots (23) and reached double figures in scoring a team-high 15 times. Lane and Swails combined to record five double-doubles in 2014-15. While Lane and Swails developed into a formidable frontcourt tandem, Lucas and Griffin evolved into a dynamic backcourt pair. Both players ranked among the MEAC top 10 in assists per game, combining for 53.1 percent of Coppin State helpers last season. Griffin led the Lady Eagles in that category, dishing 3.3 per game, which was sixth in the conference. Meanwhile, Lucas was 10th in the MEAC in assists per game. Griffin enters the season with 293 career assists. She is poised to become the third Coppin State women’s player in program history to have at least 300 assists. Showcasing her versatility last season, Griffin posted her first career double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) in a regular season-ending victory over Delaware State. Lucas earned a place on the MEAC All-Rookie team after a strong season. She really took off when she became a starter, averaging 12.8 points, 4.2 assists and 1.7 steals in the final 15 games of the season. She scored in double figures in 12 of those contests and earned MEAC Rookie of the Week honors after a 22-point performance against Delaware State. Providing depth and experience are 6-0 senior guard Tanaysa Henderson, 5-7 junior guard Keena Samuels, 6-3 junior center Omaah Tayong, 5-11 sophomore forward Candice Beverly, 5-8 sophomore guard D’Ajahnae Smith and 6-3 sophomore center Oluwaseun Adeniji. In averaging 4.3 points per game, Samuels scored in double figures four times, including a career-high 17 points against Wake Forest. Henderson, who averaged 3.6 points, scored a career-best 13 points against West Virginia. Tayong tied her career best by scoring 12 points at Wake Forest. She also grabbed 10 rebounds three times and led the Lady Eagles with 25 blocks, which stood 10th in the conference. In Coppin State’s 70-65 win over Florida A&M, Beverly scored a career-high seven points, pulled down three rebounds and dished three assists to help the Lady Eagles storm back from a 10-point deficit in the final 10 minutes for a win. Coppin State welcomes newcomers Vanessa Neal, a 5-7 junior transfer from Niagara, and 6-3 freshman Alexis Taylor. The Lady Eagles schedule features 11 home games and contests against three schools that made the NCAA Tournament (Miami, Syracuse and Savannah State). In addition Coppin State visits West Virginia, a team that lost in the WNIT finals, for a third straight season. Coppin State’s season opener will be at Virginia Commonwealth on Friday, November 13. The Lady Eagles will play their first home game on Thursday, November 19 against UMBC. #10 Amber Griffin CSU Team Information 2014-15 Overall 7-22 2014-15 MEAC Record 5-11 2014-15 MEAC Finish 10th Letterwinners Returning/Lost 6/0 Starter Returning/Lost 4/1 Newcomers 4 G – 5-3, Sr. Locust Grove, Ga.
2015-16 MEAC Women's Basketball Yearbook
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