1996–97 Coppin State Eagles men's basketball team

The 1996–97 Coppin State Eagles men's basketball team represented Coppin State University during the 1996–97 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Eagles, led by 11th year head coach Fang Mitchell, played their home games at the Coppin Center and were members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. They finished the season 22–9, 15–3 in MEAC play to win the conference regular season title. The Eagles then went on to win the MEAC tournament title to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as No. 15 seed in the East region. In the opening round, Coppin State became the third No. 15 seed to win an NCAA Tournament game, and the first to do so by double digits, as they defeated No. 2 seed South Carolina 78–65.[2] The Eagles narrowly missed out on becoming the first No. 15 seed to reach the Sweet Sixteen when they lost in the second round to No. 10 seed Texas, 82–81.[3]

1996–97 Coppin State Eagles men's basketball
MEAC regular season champions
MEAC tournament champions
NCAA tournament, second round
ConferenceMid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Record22–9 (15–3 MEAC)
Head coach
Home arenaCoppin Center
Seasons
1996–97 MEAC men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Coppin State 15 3   .833 22 9   .710
South Carolina State 12 6   .667 14 14   .500
North Carolina A&T 11 7   .611 15 13   .536
Bethune–Cookman 9 9   .500 12 16   .429
Morgan State 8 10   .444 9 18   .333
Florida A&M 8 10   .444 8 19   .296
Hampton 7 11   .389 8 19   .296
Delaware State 7 11   .389 7 20   .259
Howard 7 11   .389 7 20   .259
Maryland Eastern Shore 6 12   .333 11 17   .393
1997 MEAC tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll[1]

Roster

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1996–97 Coppin State Eagles men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G Antoine Brockington 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Jr Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
C Terquin Mott 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Sr La Salle Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
G Danny Singletary 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Jr    
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

[4][5]

Schedule and results

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Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Regular season
Nov 30, 1996*
at Oklahoma L 64–88  0–1
Lloyd Noble Center 
Norman, Oklahoma
Dec 6, 1996*
at Nebraska
Ameritas Classic
L 72–88  0–2
Bob Devaney Sports Center 
Lincoln, Nebraska
Dec 7, 1996*
vs. Colgate
Ameritas Classic
W 69–59  1–2
Bob Devaney Sports Center 
Lincoln, Nebraska
Dec 10, 1996*
Duquesne W 91–57  2–2
Coppin Center 
Baltimore, Maryland
Dec 12, 1996*
at Kansas State L 80–84 OT 2–3
Bramlage Coliseum 
Manhattan, Kansas
Dec 14, 1996*
at Illinois L 55–91  2–4
Assembly Hall (14,269)
Champaign, Illinois
Dec 27, 1996*
vs. Weber State
Oldsmobile Spartan Classic
L 91–92 OT 2–5
Breslin Center 
East Lansing, Michigan
Dec 28, 1996*
vs. Kent State
Oldsmobile Spartan Classic
W 77–66  3–5
Breslin Center 
East Lansing, Michigan
Jan 9, 1997
at South Carolina State L 88–92  3–6
(0–1)
SHM Memorial Center 
Orangeburg, South Carolina
Jan 11, 1997
at Hampton W 76–69  4–6
(1–1)
Convocation Center 
Hampton, Virginia
Jan 15, 1997
North Carolina A&T L 70–76  4–7
(1–2)
Coppin Center 
Baltimore, Maryland
Jan 18, 1997
Hampton W 81–61  5–7
(2–2)
Coppin Center 
Baltimore, Maryland
Jan 20, 1997
at Maryland Eastern Shore W 85–79  6–7
(3–2)
Tawes Gymnasium 
Princess Anne, Maryland
Jan 25, 1997
Florida A&M W 84–67  7–7
(4–2)
Coppin Center 
Baltimore, Maryland
Jan 27, 1997
Bethune-Cookman W 63–62  8–7
(5–2)
Coppin Center 
Baltimore, Maryland
Jan 30, 1997
at Howard W 93–79  9–7
(6–2)
Burr Gymnasium 
Washington, D.C.
Feb 1, 1997
at Morgan State W 81–56  10–7
(7–2)
Hill Field House 
Baltimore, Maryland
Feb 5, 1997
at Delaware State W 90–83 OT 11–7
(8–2)
Memorial Hall 
Dover, Delaware
Feb 8, 1997
Morgan State W 82–68  12–7
(9–2)
Coppin Center 
Baltimore, Maryland
Feb 10, 1997
Howard W 96–66  13–7
(10–2)
Coppin Center 
Baltimore, Maryland
Feb 12, 1997
Delaware State W 88–66  14–7
(11–2)
Coppin Center 
Baltimore, Maryland
Feb 15, 1997
at Florida A&M L 82–86  14–8
(11–3)
Gaither Athletic Center 
Tallahassee, Florida
Feb 17, 1997
at Bethune-Cookman W 73–56  15–8
(12–3)
Moore Gymnasium 
Daytona Beach, Florida
Feb 20, 1997
South Carolina State W 75–70 OT 16–8
(13–3)
Coppin Center 
Baltimore, Maryland
Feb 26, 1997
at North Carolina A&T W 61–57  17–8
(14–3)
Corbett Sports Center 
Greensboro, North Carolina
Mar 1, 1997
Maryland Eastern Shore W 80–62  18–8
(15–3)
Coppin Center 
Baltimore, Maryland
MEAC tournament
Mar 5, 1997*
(1) vs. (9) Maryland Eastern Shore
Quarterfinals
W 90–88 OT 19–8
Echols Memorial Hall 
Norfolk, Virginia
Mar 7, 1997*
(1) vs. (4) Bethune-Cookman
Semifinals
W 76–60  20–8
Echols Memorial Hall 
Norfolk, Virginia
Mar 8, 1997*
(1) vs. (3) North Carolina A&T
Championship
W 81–74 OT 21–8
Echols Memorial Hall 
Norfolk, Virginia
NCAA tournament
Mar 14, 1997*
(15 E) vs. (2 E) No. 6 South Carolina
First Round
W 78–65[2][6]  22–8
Civic Arena 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mar 16, 1997*
(15 E) vs. (10 E) Texas
Second Round
L 81–82[3]  22–9
Civic Arena 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
E=East.
All times are in Eastern Time.

[7][8]

References

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  1. ^ sports-reference.com 1996-97 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Season Summary
  2. ^ a b "Coppin State Stuns No. 2 South Carolina". The Washington Post. March 14, 1997. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Coppin St. Has Its Wild Ride Halted". The New York Times. March 17, 1997. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  4. ^ "1996-97 Men's Basketball Roster". Coppin State University Athletics. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  5. ^ "1996-97 Coppin State Eagles Roster and Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  6. ^ "Coppin mission wins impossible Eagles' belief rewarded in stunning, 78-65 upset of 2nd seed S. Carolina". Baltimore Sun. March 15, 1997. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  7. ^ "1996-97 Men's Basketball Schedule". Coppin State University Athletics. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  8. ^ "2019-20 Coppin State Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Coppin State University Athletics. Retrieved June 6, 2021.