Battle of Maryland Schools Opens the Tournament Tonight

Fifty-eight teams in the NCAA tournament field of 65 have won at least 20 games. Only one has lost that many.

At least Coppin State is unique.

The Eagles open the NCAA tournament at 7:30 p.m. today when they face Mount St. Mary’s in the play-in game. The winner faces North Carolina on Friday in Raleigh, N.C.

"We’re definitely not looking at their record to see how good they are," Mount St. Mary’s coach Milan Brown said. "They’re going to be a tough test."

At one point this season, Coppin State lost 17 of 18 games and was 4-19. But the Eagles won 12 of their final 13, including the MEAC tournament championship, to earn an automatic bid. After defeating Norfolk State in the semifinals, Coppin State (16-20) won the championship Saturday by beating fellow Baltimore school Morgan State 62-60.

Mount St. Mary’s (18-14), from Emmitsburg, Md., won the Northeast Conference tournament, beating Sacred Heart 68-55.

The Mountaineers are making their third NCAA tournament appearance and first since 1999. Coppin State is making its fourth appearance and first since 1997.

Brown said he is worried about Coppin State senior point guard Tywain McKee, who averages 16.6 points and had 33, including a floater in the lane with two seconds remaining, to lift the Eagles past Morgan State.

"That’s always scary in a one-game situation that a player can have a night where he can just beat you by himself," Brown said. "We’re going to try to make sure we give him a few different looks – hopefully – and just make him take a lot of potentially tough shots."

Coppin State coach Ron "Fang" Mitchell said the Eagles had chemistry problems early in the season but turned it around when the seniors took a greater leadership role and the younger players got game experience.

"We had to mix that together," he said. "It took some time."

Mitchell said his team will have to focus on the play of Mount St. Mary’s guards Jeremy Goode and Chris Vann. Goode averages 14.3 points and 5.5 assists; Vann averages 14.4 points.

Mount St. Mary’s is 3-0 against Coppin State, but the teams haven’t met since 1984.

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Coppin State (16-20) vs. Mount St. Mary’s (18-14), 7:30 p.m., ESPN