Norfolk State trio out-shoot Coppin State, 88-69

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) Starting trio D'Shon Taylor, Jeffrey Short and RaShid Gaston combined to score 63 points and grab 23 rebounds to power Norfolk State to an 88-69 win over Coppin State in a Mid-East Athletic Conference battle Monday night.

Taylor led the effort with 24 points on 9 of 15 shooting, hitting 5 of 7 from distance, and grabbing 10 boards. Short hit half his 12 shots from the field, knocking down 3 of 7 from beyond the arc, to score 20 points and Gaston was 9 of 13 from the field for 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

The Spartans (6-4, 2-0) shot 52.4 percent from the field (33 of 63 and 11 of 22 three-point attempts. Defensively they held Coppin State to 36.8 percent shooting (28 of 76).

Taariq Cephas had 16 points to lead the Eagles (1-7, 0-2), with Arnold Fripp and Sterling Smith each adding 15.