MEAC REPORT
Coppin State Is
Definitely Back!
The small Baltimore college has _
reached again into the upper echelons
of Mideastern Athletic Conference
play by posting, as of BCSR press_
time, an 8-0 record.
_ __Because of Ja?u year * barelyw+n ?
n in g season (15-13), many college
basketball publications put the Eagles
in the middle of the MEAC standings.
Street & Smith considered the "Bible"
of college basketball, has Coppin
ranked fifth, behind North Carolina
A&T, Florida A&M, South Carolina
State and Howard. The Spoiling News
College Basketball yearbook also have
the Eagles ranked fifth, however the
order is South Carolina State, Howard,
N > rt h Carolina A&T, and Florida
A&M.
"We don't pay any attention to
those publications," says Head Coach
Ron "Fang" Mitchell, who is in his
eighth season at Coppin. "The key to
our success is to think positive, disci
pline and putting together a great
coaching staff."
Mitchell's assistants are Derek
Brown and Nate Blackwel). Brown
has been Mitchell's right hand for 14
years. He has been credited with a sig
nificant part of Mitchell's success at
Glouchester County College and at
Coppin.
In 1991. Brown coached the
Eagles for two games while Mrtchell
recovered from surgery. The team was
1-1. including a victory over South
Carolina State, which clinched the
Eagles' second consecutive MEAC
Blackwell played for John
Chaney's Temple Owls. He was an
Atlantic 10 Player of the year and
MVP of the Atlantic 10 Tournament.
He graduated from Temple in 1987.
One reason for
the toughness of its schedule. This sea
son, Coppin has Kansas State, James
Madison, Boston College, American
University and California ? Santa Bar
bara - on the road. Mitchell believes a
demanding schedule
for conference play.
"You cannot get better playing
teams on your skill level, "says
Mitchell. "This is why we like to play
tough teams on their turf. It matures us
as a team."
James Madison coach Lefty
Driesell has the highest regard for
Mitchell and his program. The fprmer
Maryland coach tells his players to
take Coppin seriously.
"I know when they come here to
Harrisburg to play, we have to put up a
full 40 minute effort. They are tough,
scrappy and well-coached, "says
Driesell.
Tariq Saunders should help Coppin win the ME AC title this year.
Photo by Teresa Burnell
Driesell also schedules Coppin to
help the school with financing its pro
gram and to give his team a variety of
opponents.
American University coach Chris
Knoche has nothing but the utmost
respect for Coppin, considering that
Coppin leads the series 2- 1 . He thinks
that Coppin debunks the myth of poor
basketball play and coaching at Black
colleges.
"One of the myths that's perpetu
ated in college basketball is that Black
colleges don't have good players or
good coaches. That's baloney! This
team has beaten Maryland, Creighton,
and Southern Connecticut among oth
ers. They know what they are doing."
While the coach and his staff are
excellent, it is the players who bring in
the victories One such player is Tariq
Saunders, a preseason All-MEAC can
didate, selected Coppin over Miami,
Northeastern and Boston University.
Saunders is a junior, who knows he
made the right decision.
"This is a small school. I'll get
more attention in the classroom and on
the court as opposed to a bigger
schools, "says Saunders." As league
play progresses, our confidence grows
as a team and we are able to win."
Saunders leads the team in min