PRINCESS ANNE, Md. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a staggering disparity in ball security, the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks capitalized on a torrent of Coppin State turnovers to erase a double-digit deficit and escape with a 70-67 victory in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at the William P. Hytche Center.

The Hawks, who entered the contest as heavy favorites according to predictive metrics, improved to 8-13 overall. The Eagles, despite a valiant effort and a near-perfect performance from the free-throw line, fell to 3-17, extending a difficult season.

The narrative of the game was written in the turnover column. Coppin State committed 20 turnovers, which Maryland-Eastern Shore converted into 24 points. Conversely, the Hawks gave the ball away only 11 times, leading to just 12 points for the Eagles. This 12-point swing proved to be the decisive margin in a contest that saw 14 lead changes and was tied on nine occasions.

Coppin State, led by 16 points from Nelson Lamizana, controlled the first half with efficient offense and took a 32-28 lead into the break. The Eagles extended their advantage to as many as 10 points early in the second half, but the Hawks’ relentless defensive pressure began to take its toll.

A pivotal sequence unfolded midway through the second half. With Coppin State leading 46-44, the Hawks forced three consecutive Eagles turnovers over a span of 90 seconds. Each miscue fueled the Maryland-Eastern Shore transition game, sparking a 13-2 run that flipped the game on its head. Justin Monden, who scored 14 points, capped the surge with a three-pointer off a Michael Teal assist, giving the Hawks a 57-48 lead with just over six minutes remaining. This stretch was the most important part of the game, as the Hawks seized control they would not fully relinquish.

Coppin State refused to fold. The Eagles, who shot a remarkable 20 of 21 from the foul line, chipped away at the lead. A driving layup by Hassan Perkins with 35 seconds left cut the Hawks’ advantage to 68-67, setting up a tense finish.

On the ensuing inbound play, Maryland-Eastern Shore’s Dorion Staples, who led all scorers with 20 points, was trapped along the sideline and turned the ball over with 26 seconds remaining, giving Coppin State a chance to win or tie. The Eagles called a timeout to set up a final play.

Out of the stoppage, the ball found its way to Coppin State’s Taj Thweatt in the paint, but his contested shot was off the mark. In the scramble for the rebound, Thweatt was called for a travel with just four seconds left, handing possession back to the Hawks.

Zion Obanla was immediately fouled and calmly sank both free throws to push the lead back to three points with 4.4 seconds on the clock. Obanla finished with 20 points and a key block. Coppin State’s last-gasp attempt, a long three-pointer by Torrin Andrews as time expired, was off target, sealing the Hawks’ comeback win.

Beyond the turnover battle, the Hawks held advantages in assists (9-5), steals (9-5), and points in the paint (28-24). Coppin State’s effort was bolstered by 15 offensive rebounds, but they could not overcome their own generosity with the basketball. Andrews finished with 13 points for the Eagles, while Perkins added 10.

The announced attendance was 676. The total points scored, 137, fell under the pregame over/under line of 134.

Maryland-Eastern Shore looks to build on the win when they travel to face South Carolina State next Saturday. Coppin State, still seeking consistency, will visit Norfolk State on the same day.