Senior point guard Nijel Pack dished out a game-high nine assists and was charged with just one turnover as host Miami defeated winless Coppin State 93-63 on Sunday afternoon.
The Hurricanes (3-0) never trailed and had six players score in double figures.
Matthew Cleveland posted 15 points and seven rebounds; Brandon Johnson added 14 points and eight rebounds; Lynn Kidd and Divine Ugochukwu each had 12 points; A.J. Staton-McCray chipped in 11; and Jalen Blackmon scored 10.
Staton-McCray was especially efficient, making 4-of-5 shots, including 3 of 3 on 3-pointers.
Pack scored just six points as he focused on running the offense. He was 2-for-4 on 3-pointers.
Coppin State (0-6) was led by Julius Ellerbe, who scored a team-high 14 points. Toby Nnadozie added 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting on 3-pointers. Khali Horton also had 11 points.
The Eagles have lost 19 straight games dating back to last season. The last victory was against Maryland Eastern Shore, 58-55 in overtime, on Jan. 8, 2024.
Cleveland led all first-half scorers with 10 points as Miami went to intermission with a 43-19 lead.
Miami shot 51.6 percent overall in the first half, and the Hurricanes were even better on 3-pointers, making 9 of 15 (60 percent). Miami also dominated the glass, building a 26-13 advantage on rebounds.
Coppin State shot just 26.7 percent, including 0-for-7 on 3-pointers. The Eagles did have a 14-10 edge on points in the paint.
The game was never close in the second half.
For the game, Miami shot 56.3 percent overall, including 14-for-27 on 3-pointers (51.9 percent). Miami also had a 42-26 edge in rebounding.
Coppin State shot 41.1 percent from the floor, including 5-for-16 on 3-pointers (31.3 percent).
Up next, Miami will play Drake on Thursday in the opening round of the Charleston Classic in Charleston, S.C.
Coppin State will play at George Mason on Wednesday night in Fairfax, Va.
–Field Level Media
