BALTIMORE – Sam Sessoms hit a contested, fading jumper for Coppin State with 1.5 seconds left in regulation, giving the Eagles a 74-71 win over host Loyola University Maryland on Saturday night in Reitz Arena.
 
Sessoms had given Coppin State a 71-69 lead with two free throws more than 30 seconds earlier, but Alonso Faure rebounded his own miss and scored with 24 ticks on the clock to tie the score for the Greyhounds.
 
The Eagles brought the ball into the front court, and Sessoms dribbled one-on-one with a Loyola defender. He took a fading shot from more than 15 feet with a defender's hand in his face to put the Eagles up 73-71 with 1.5 on the clock.
 
Loyola called a timeout, and on the inbound play, a foul was called on the Greyhounds, putting Justin Steers on the free-throw line. He made the first and missed the second with Loyola's full-court heave falling short at the buzzer.
 
The Greyhounds led 64-61 after two Isaiah Alexander free throws with 3:19 to play, but Isaiah Gross made a three from the left corner for the Eagles, tying the game less than 20 seconds later.
 
After Alexander went 1 of 2 at the line, Gross made another from the same spot to make it a 67-65 Coppin State lead. He was called for a flopping technical, however, after the shot, and Chris Kuzemka made the free throw to get Loyola within a point.
 
Loyola committed a turnover after the Kuzemka free throw, and Sessoms converted a jumper with 1:49 left to stretch the lead back to three.
 
Both teams misfired on their next possessions, but Kenneth Jones evened the score out of a Loyola-called timeout, slipping behind a screen to knock down a three from the left wing, tying the game at 69-69 with 51 seconds to play.
 
Sessoms was fouled and made two at the stripe 11 seconds later, and Faure's putback tied the game at 71-71.
 
Jones led Loyola with 18 points, while Deon Perry scored a career-high 14 points. Jaylin Andrews added 12, while Alexander had eight points and a game-best eight rebounds.
 
Loyola is back on the road for its next two games, starting Wednesday, December 7, with a 7 p.m. game at Hampton University.