Know Your Foe-ette: Coppin State
By: Dallas Bowlin
Senior Staff Writer/Editor/Host
All Vol Call In Show
Tennessee got its first win against Duquesne, 109-62 (so close to my 110-74 prediction) on Monday night. There is no rest for the Lady Vols, however, as they travel to Baltimore, Maryland, for a... road game against Coppin State? Tip-off is Thursday at 7 pm on the MEAC Network, which is free to watch online: https://watch.meacsports.com/
These road trips aren't necessarily unfamiliar for the program; they traveled to Murfreesboro last season for a matchup with Middle Tennessee State, a game the Lady Vols won 85-41. That still doesn’t make it any less jarring. On a personal note, how about a trip down to Richmond, Ky., for a matchup with the Lady Colonels? Make it happen, Danny. Anyway…
The Lady Eagles are led by head coach Darrell Mosley, who is in his second year.
Mosley spent some time at Division II Lincoln University from 2010-2021, serving as an assistant on the men’s team from 2010-2015 and as the head women’s coach from 2015-2021.
He was hired in 2021 as an assistant coach at Delaware, where he spent one season before moving to Arizona State in the same position from 2022-2023. He was named associate head coach in 2023 and remained there until April 2025, when he got the call to be the head man at Coppin State.
RETURNEES:
G Kylie Wells | Last season: 0.7 PPG, 0.6 REBS.
G Seimone Newton (Missed last season due to injury)
F Shanaii Gamble | Last season: 6.3 PPG, 7.2 REBS, 1.3 STLS, 35% FG, 13.8% 3PT FG
LOSSES:
G Paris McBride (Graduated): 8.9 PPG, 3.7 REBS, 3.5 ASTS, 1.5 STLS, 25.3% FG, 27.9% 3PT FG
G Jordyn Adderly (Transferred to Chowan): 0.7 PPG, 0.9 REBS.
G Skylar Barnes (Graduated): 5.8 PPG, 2.3 REBS, 29.9% FG, 24.2% 3PT FG
G Kyley Gary-Grayson (Transferred to Lander): 1.8 PPG, 21.6% FG, 11.5% 3PT FG
G Jahcelyn Hatfield (Graduated): 2.6 PPG, 2.1 REBS, 28.2% FG
G Mickelle Lowry (Not currently rostered): 2.4 PPG, 1.0 REBS, 28.2% FG
F Princess Nwachuku (Not currently rostered): 1.6 PPG, 2.0 REBS, 35.7% FG
G Erin Henry (Transferred to UL Monroe): 7.6 PPG, 3.1 REBS, 32.0% FG
F Sydney Burris (Graduated): 6.7 PPG, 6.1 REBS, 44.7% FG
F Jada Collins (Transferred to Georgia State): 1.4 PPG, 1.8 REBS, 28.6% FG
G Khila Morris (Graduated): 13.1 PPG, 4.3 REBS, 2.9 AST, 1.7 STLS, 42.0% FG, 33.3% 3PT FG
C Patricia Sosa Lora (Graduated): 5.4 PPG, 6.2 REBS, 37.7% FG
NEWCOMERS:
G Jayleen Jones (Freshman)
G Bray’ana Miles (Freshman)
G Tariya Wright (Freshman)
G Heaven Reese (Freshman)
F Arly Zapata (Freshman)
F Ciani Scott (Freshman)
Soph. G Anya George (UMass transfer): 1.2 PPG, 33% FG
Soph. G Delaney Cooper (Stony Brook transfer): 1.5 PPG, 1.0 STL, 24.2% FG
Jr. G/F Amber Howard (Buffalo transfer): 3.0 PPG, 3.9 REBS, 27.7% FG
Sr. F Samari Taylor (UAB transfer): 2.2 PPG, 57.1% FG
Jr. G Karen Nimo (Charlotte transfer): 2.2 PPG, 1.1 REBS, 25.3% FG, 32.5% 3PT FG
TEAM SUMMARY:
Last season was a rough one for the Lady Eagles; they went 6-8 in conference and 10-23 overall. Notably, they went 6-6 at home compared to 3-13 on the road.
On Barttorvik, they finished the season 295th overall with an adjusted offensive efficiency of 78.5 (338th) and an adjusted defensive efficiency of 93.1 (188th). Worth noting that their offensive rebounding rate of 34.7 ranked 77th. Their two-point percentage of 37.0 ranked 355th, while their three-point percentage of 26.3 ranked 331st. Oof.
Good news for the Lady Eagles, however, as they only return three of those pieces from that team.
Against the DII Cheyney University Wolves, a game Coppin State won 80-69, the Eagles shot 56.3% from two. Unfortunately for them, finding the range from deep was an issue, as they shot 4-of-21 (19%).
Anya George led the team with 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field and 3-of-9 from three; Shanaii Gamble scored 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field and grabbed five rebounds, while Samari Taylor had 10 points and 11 rebounds on 4-of-7 shooting from the field.
OFFENSE:
On the offensive side of the ball, Mosley wants to get up and down the floor. The Lady Eagles ranked 45th on Barttorvik in adjusted tempo during Mosley’s first season.
Mosley prefers for his offense to dictate the plays. They use secondary transition to get into quick hitters designed to open up driving lanes.
Seen here in their game against SMU last season, the Lady Eagles do not hesitate to bring the ball up the court quickly following an SMU make, and it leads to a nice finish on the other end. No celebrating after a made bucket will be allowed.
The goal of the offense is to get downhill and put pressure on the rim. As a former point guard himself, Mosley leans on his playmakers to create good looks for the offense in spread pick-and-roll action, DHO (dribble handoff), etc.
The three-point shot is viewed as a secondary weapon, not a primary goal of the offense. They’re not going to stand outside and jack up a bunch of threes, which can be refreshing to watch. Their looks from outside come off dribble penetration that breaks down the defense. Driving the ball and forcing the defense to work is the priority over settling early.
DEFENSE:
Defense will always be the primary focus for Mosley. He demands that his teams play a tough-nosed style to disrupt opposing offenses as much as possible. He purposefully recruits athletic two-way guards to press and demands that his players be in great physical condition, as he loves to employ the full-court press.
He’s very detail-oriented when it comes to defense, all the way down to the micro level of how a player keeps their hands "in the pocket" to put pressure on the ball without fouling and how to read when an offensive player is about to execute a spin move.
Offense will not come easy.
HOW THE LADY VOLS CAN WIN:
Turn the Lady Eagles over. So far, this year's squad seems to have a greater understanding of what it takes to run the Kim Caldwell style of play. While the defense can be a little prone to allowing buckets in the half court, their ability to run Caldwell’s full-court press seems to be miles ahead of last year’s squad, even this early in the season. Against Duquesne, the Lady Vols forced 25 turnovers and had 17 steals. While not all of those occurred because of the press, a good portion did. Tennessee must force turnovers (and score off them).
Keep Kaylene Smikle in rhythm. Smikle has been the star of the show offensively thus far for Caldwell’s squad, scoring 31 points on five made three-point field goals. As long as the offense can put and keep Smikle in a place to succeed, the Lady Vols should win.
Finally, and this builds on my last point, help Smikle out. Four of Tennessee’s five starters scored in double figures Monday night. That is exactly what I mean by putting Smikle in a place to succeed. The other players have to be a threat on offense so that teams can’t focus all their attention on Smikle.
HOW THE LADY EAGLES CAN WIN:
Attack the offensive glass. I mentioned earlier that Coppin State was 77th in offensive rebounding last season. Against Cheyney, they grabbed 26 offensive rebounds. For a Tennessee team that does lack a little in interior size and just gave up 21 offensive rebounds to Duquesne (granted, the Dukes are one of the tallest teams in the NCAA), that could spell trouble.
Put pressure on the rim. As mentioned earlier, Coppin State wants to get to the rim and finish from two. Well, against Duquesne, the Lady Vols had a 2PD (two-point defense) of 31.4 (22nd). If the Lady Eagles can score efficiently from two and exploit Tennessee’s lack of a true rim protector, that could be one way they stay in it.
Keep Anya George in rhythm. Similar to Tennessee and Smikle, the UMass transfer came to Coppin State after a season in which she averaged 1.2 PPG on 33% shooting. Against Cheyney, she dropped 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field and 3-of-9 from three. She’s sure to be a focal point of the scout for Tennessee, and if she can recreate that performance, she would help her team mightily.
PREDICTION:
Coach Mosley's teams have the identity and toughness necessary to win a game like this. You have to assume the Lady Eagle fans will show out, creating a great atmosphere. Those are the kinds of things that can contribute to a monumental upset. However, as I keep preaching, this Lady Vols team is tightly knit, understands what it takes to execute Kim Caldwell's system, and recognizes the standard that comes with wearing the Tennessee Lady Vols uniform. That combination can pay dividends, and I believe it will.
TENNESSEE - 91 | COPPIN STATE - 57
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