BALTIMORE -- Delino Dear posted a double-double of 14 points and a career-high 13 rebounds as Bethune-Cookman downed Coppin State 58-53 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game Saturday.
The Wildcats (5-13 overall, 1-3 MEAC) earned their first road win of the season in nine tries while also breaking into the win column in league play.
Quintin Brewer and Brandon Stewart each scored 13 as Bethune-Cookman rallied from a 41-33 deficit to take a 50-49 lead on a Dear jumper with 3:58 to play.
The Eagles (1-16,0-4) took the lead, 51-50, on a pair of Dallas Gary free throws with2:31 left, but it was short-lived. Bethune-Cookman grabbed the lead for good seconds later on a layup by Brewer, who added a jumper with 1:08 left to make it 54-51.
Brewer and Ricky Johnson (eight points) each hit two free throws in the final seconds to seal the win. The Wildcats were 14-16 from the line in the second half.
With only eight players dressed and three of those drawing three fouls in the first half, Bethune-Cookman collected 26 points off 20 Coppin State turnovers and outscored the Eagles in the paint, 26-18.
Travis Elliott and Stewart each contributed eight rebounds as the Wildcats outrebounded the Eagles 48-34.
Taariq Cephas had 12 points for Coppin State, which lost its 12th straight.
Bethune-Cookman faces Morgan State Monday at 4 p.m.
B-CU HEAD COACH GRAVELLE CRAIG
“Coppin State got into a rhythm early in the second half, so I had to go to zone and that bothered them the final six minutes.”
“We got into the bonus early and that was big Every foul gets you to the line. It gives you a big advantage.”
“Delino's capable of games like this. He needs to be more consistent. That was a good job tonight.”
“We needed this win. You don't want to get in a whole. We had close games against The Citadel and Ball State, so it was good to see us pull out one like this”.
“[With only eight players and foul trouble] we were scrambling. Brandon was playing point guard and I don't think he's ever played point in his life. A lot of guys were out of position tonight,but they did a good job.”
DELINO DEAR
“We needed this win. We knew we had to come in and be aggressive and execute.”
“I've been telling myself to be aggressive and take my time in the post.”
“Everyone was focused. We knew we had to get. I found “Q” late and he made some big baskets.”
NOTES: B-CU was without Mikel Trapp (family funeral) and Troy Simmons (flu-like symptoms) ... This was Dear's second double-double of the season ... All eight players scored ... Coppin's 29.8 percent field goal percentage was the lowest for a B-CU opponent this season.
