BALTIMORE (Interstat) — In a game defined by a suffocating defensive effort, the Howard Lady Bison methodically dispatched the Coppin State Eagles 64-51 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women’s basketball contest Thursday night at the Coppin State Physical Education Complex.

The victory improved Howard to 14-7 overall, while Coppin State fell to 4-17.

The most critical stretch of the game arrived in the second quarter, where Howard’s defense completely stifled the Eagles’ offense. After a competitive first quarter that ended with Coppin State holding a narrow 19-16 lead, the Lady Bison locked down. They held the Eagles to a mere five points in the second period on 2-of-15 shooting from the floor, forcing eight Coppin State turnovers. Howard, meanwhile, pieced together an 11-point quarter, fueled by a pivotal 3-pointer from Zennia Thomas and a jump shot from Sa’lah Hemingway off a turnover, to take a 27-24 lead into halftime. That defensive stand provided a cushion Howard would not relinquish.

Howard’s defense was the story throughout. The Lady Bison forced 23 Coppin State turnovers, converting them into 19 points. They also racked up 15 steals and six blocks. Coppin State managed only 15 field goals on 55 attempts, a frigid 27.3 percent. The Eagles’ offensive rating of 69.4 points per 100 possessions underscored their struggles against Howard’s pressure.

Offensively, Howard was led by the dominant performance of junior forward Zennia Thomas. The 6-foot-2 standout from Cleveland, Ohio, scored a game-high 22 points, grabbed five rebounds, dished out five assists and blocked three shots in 32 minutes. Her all-around play anchored the Lady Bison, especially during the decisive first-half run. Guard Ariella Henigan, a 5-6 sophomore from Chicago, provided a vital spark off the bench with 10 points, while Zoe Stewart added 11 points.

Coppin State, which was projected by Interstat’s ELO system to have only a 20.4 percent chance of winning, was led by Paris McBride’s 13 points and four assists. Sydney Burris contributed 12 points, and Jahcelyn Hartfield added nine. The Eagles won the battle on the offensive glass, 14-5, but could not overcome their poor shooting and ball security issues. They finished with just three assists as a team against their 23 turnovers.

Howard extended its lead in the third quarter, outscoring Coppin State 16-11 to take a 43-35 advantage into the final period. The Lady Bison then sealed the game at the free-throw line, hitting 11 of 14 attempts in the fourth quarter and finishing 21 of 25 overall for the game. Coppin State shot a respectable 17 of 20 from the line but could not find enough consistent offense from the field to mount a serious comeback.

The game was a conference opener for both teams within the provided data. Howard entered having won two of its last three, including a 69-61 victory at North Carolina Central on Jan. 17 where Thomas scored 17 points. Coppin State was coming off a 90-48 non-conference loss to South Carolina on Jan. 18.

Looking ahead, Howard will continue its MEAC schedule by hosting Morgan State on Saturday. Coppin State travels to face Norfolk State, also on Saturday.

The announced attendance at the Coppin State Physical Education Complex was 319.