As victories go, Coppin State coach Derek Brown couldn't have thought this one was pretty.
The Eagles (3-2) blew leads of 15 and 16 points, but used 17 points by LaKesha Wills to defeat Mount St. Mary's, 82-75, yesterday at the Coppin Center.
Adrienne Harris scored 26 points for the Mountaineers (1-3) to lead all scorers.
"We played well in stretches," Brown said. "Our defense had to step it up in the second half. It wasn't really what they were doing; it was what we weren't doing."
The Eagles used three three-pointers by Shamara Singleterry to run out to a 29-14 lead with 9:29 left in the first half, but the Mount, boosted by seven points by Samira Rashid, tied the game at 35 with 2:58 left in the first half.
Coppin repeated the feat in the second half. The Eagles led 61-45 with 9:14 left, but again the Mountaineers chipped away.
Mount St. Mary's took the lead on Harris' two free throws with 2:58 left, but then Coppin began to roll.
The Eagles tied the game on Wills' two free throws, then took the lead for good on the next possession on Antoinette Resse's layup with 2:05 remaining, 71-69.
Coppin's defense tightened on the next possession, and the Eagles made their foul shots down the stretch.
"I was pleased with the way we shared the basketball," Brown said. "Our defense played OK in stretches, but our offense was good. We had five players who scored in double figures."
Coppin center Leisel Harry said she felt confident the Eagles would pull the game out, even when they blew the big leads.
"We didn't lose confidence in ourselves," Harry said. "We picked each other up. We said we weren't going to lose, and we didn't.
Although satisfied with the win, Brown says the Eagles still have to work to get better.
"We realize that we could have lost this game," he said. "I was pleased with some of the things I saw, but we still have a ways to go. We can't have letdowns like this."
MOUNT ST. MARY'S-Foster 7-13 5-6 19, Wike 1-2 0-0 2, Harris 6-17 12-16 26, Simms 1-3 0-0 2, Baccouche 3-11 1-2 7, Rashid 3-8 3-4 12, Adams 0-1 0-2 0, Alexander 1-3 3-4 5, Hegge 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 23-59 24-34 75.
COPPIN STATE-Reese 2-5 2-4 6, Wills 7-11 3-5 17, Harry 6-9 0-1 12, Plain 4-9 3-5 11, Singleterry 4-10 4-6 15, Lewis 1-1 0-0 2, Abraham 0-2 0-0 0, Strickland 4-5 0-0 8, Williams 3-5 5-6 11, Tucker 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 31-60 17-27 82.
Half-Coppin State, 41-37. 3-point goals-MSM 5-18 (Rashid 3-5, Harris 2-8, Alexander 0-2, Baccouche 0-3); CS 3-7 (Singleterry 3-5, Reese 0-2).
Fouled out-Harris, Harry. Rebounds-MSM 41 (Foster 11); CS 33 (Wills 13). Assists-MSM 11 (Alexander 4); CS 15 (Wills, Plain, Singleterry 3). Total fouls-MSM 23; CS 28. A-224.