Dawn Staley taking her team to HBCU gym was ‘a dream’ for Coppin State

Dawn Staley’s latest road trip with South Carolina turned into a celebration both for her powerhouse program and HBCUs.

The No. 2 Gamecocks dominated from start to finish Sunday, rolling past Coppin State 90–48 before a crowd of 3,371 — one of the largest the school’s history.

But that wasn’t the story.

Coppin State has built a tradition of hosting elite programs, previously welcoming Maryland in 2021 and LSU in 2023. Bringing another national power to Baltimore, Staley said, benefits everyone involved.

“I think it’s good on all fronts,” she said.

Coppin State coach Darrell Mosley said that kind of outreach means a lot for programs like his.

“Talking to Coach Staley, it’s tough for them to find games,” Mosley said. “You’re top in the nation in wins and national championships — nobody really wants to play you.”

For Staley, the mission goes back to her days coaching at Temple, when she struggled to secure home games against high-level Division I teams.

“I remember when I was at Temple, we couldn’t get many top programs to play us — let alone on our home floor,” she said. “So I always think about those times and give people an opportunity to play a game like this.”

Coppin State trailed by 25 at halftime but found bright spots in the second half. Sophomore guard Khila Morris led the Eagles with 20 points, and veteran Paris McBride added 12.

“Being able to host the No. 2 team in the nation, with Dawn Staley as a coach and pros that are going first round in the league — it’s an amazing feeling,” McBride said. “It’s what you dream of as a hooper.”