BALTIMORE, Md. - The North Carolina A&T men's basketball team continued its strange season of being able to defeat the top teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, but have problems with the bottom portion of the league.

The Aggies shot 35.2 percent in a 77-65 loss to Coppin State Saturday evening at the Physical Education Complex. Robert Johnson led the Aggies with 18 points and five rebounds. Tavarus Alston added 12 points and six assists, while Thomas Coleman posted his ninth double-double of the season with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

The Aggies are now 2-4 against the bottom four teams in the MEAC. But they are 4-1 against the top four teams in the league. The Eagles defeated the Aggies behind 48 percent shooting and 30 points on 10-for-14 shooting from Michael Harper.

"Coppin State had great energy, and we had too many errors,'' said Eaves. "We had issues shooting the ball. We have been inconsistent shooters all season long. When we shoot well, we can beat anyone. When we don't, we can't."

The Aggies shot below 40 percent from the floor in the first half, but thanks to a Dwane Joshua 3-pointer at the end of the half, the Aggies trailed just 37-33 at the half. But the Aggies hit a tremendous shooting slump midway through the second half. The Eagles outscored the Aggies 14-0 over a 2 ½ minute span to take a 66-44 lead with 8:32 remaining in the game.

An Alston 3-pointer started a 17-3 Aggies run that cut the lead to eight with 2:45 to play. Coleman's free throw 90 seconds later shrunk the Aggies lead to 69-62. But a Branden Doughty jump shot and two Harper free throws put the game away for the Eagles.

N.C. A&T dropped to 10-19 overall and 6-8 in the MEAC. The Eagles improved to 10-16 and 3-11 in the conference. The Aggies will stay in Baltimore to face Morgan State on Monday at 9 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPNU.