THE COOPER CENTER | MONROEVILLE, Ala. - On Coaches vs. Cancer Night at the Cooper Center, Coastal Alabama - North Men's Basketball protected its home floor Thursday night, Jan. 22 with a hard-fought 75-70 conference victory over Wallace Community College - Selma, remaining atop the current ACCC Division II standings. The overall record on the season improves to 14-8, with the ACCC record improving to a strong 8-1. Additionally, the 'Yotes have won four games in a row.
Prior to tip-off, head coach Chuck Taylor of Coastal Alabama - North and the entire Coyotes roster honored those who have battled and are currently battling cancer, with special recognition given to Mandie Bignell. She was presented with a team-signed pink basketball and a bouquet of pink roses. Bignell is the mother of Coastal Alabama - North student-athlete Evan Bignell.
Pippins Leads the Charge
The Coyotes used a strong first half to set the tone, taking a 37-31 lead into the break before matching Wallace - Selma point-for-point in the second half to secure the five-point win.
Elijah Pippins delivered his best performance of the season, pouring in a new season-high 31 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field and 9-of-10 from the free throw line. The sophomore guard also added eight assists, controlling the pace and making key plays down the stretch to keep Coastal Alabama - North in front. Pippins currently averages 12.1 points per game and 7.0 assists per contest during the 2025-26 campaign.
Chimeziri Okeoma followed and provided a spark off the bench with 18 points, knocking down two three-pointers and going a perfect 8-for-8 at the free throw line. Bryce Wilkins added nine points and pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds, while Justin Burns contributed eight boards in the win.
As a team, Coastal Alabama - North shot 41.1% from the floor and an impressive 88.9% from the free throw line (24-of-27), proving steady at the stripe in a tight conference contest. The Coyotes also finished with 34 total rebounds and 11 assists while limiting turnovers to just nine.
With the victory, Coastal - North continues to build momentum in ACCC Division II play and strengthens its hold on the top spot in the standings as the conference schedule moves deeper into January and February.
On the Road for Three
Following Thursday's home win, the 'Yotes are set for three consecutive road games in the ACCC, beginning next Thursday, Jan. 29 in Evergreen, Ala. Coastal - North will face rival Reid State Tech (Ala.) next Thursday, with tip-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT. The 'Yotes will look for the regular season sweep over the Lions.
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