BEAUMONT, TEXAS - Senior guard
Tavarus Alston missed a 17-footer as time expired as the North Carolina A&T men's basketball team lost to Lamar 74-73 Saturday night at the Montagne Center.
Alston finished with a career-high 24 points and added six assists to his totals. Senior Dwane Joshua added 21 points on 5-for-6 shooting from 3-point range.
"I am really just disappointed,'' said North Carolina A&T head coach Jerry Eaves. "We had an excellent chance to win on the road, but we just didn't close them out. As the season progresses, we're going to have to learn how to close people out on the road. You have to be 10 points better on the road because it's tough to win close games away from home."
It appeared the Aggies might be 10 points better than the Cardinals after Alston and Joshua hit back-to-back threes to give the Aggies 65-57 lead with 7:50 remaining in the game.
The eight point lead was the Aggies biggest of the night after they trailed by as many as 12 in the first half. The Cardinals fought back to cut the lead to four, 69-65, on two Justin Nabors free throws. Anthony Miles' pull up jumper in the paint cut the lead to two.
Alston used a crossover dribble to ease past his defender and get to the rim to give the Aggies a 71-67 lead with 2:35 to play. Following an Aggies turnover, Miles trimmed the lead back to two on a fastbreak layup with less than two minutes remaining.
Alston returned the Aggies lead back to four on two free throws before Miles continued to give the Aggies problems with a 3-pointer from the top of the key to pull the Cardinals to within one at 73-72 with 1:12 remaining.
After Joshua missed a runner in the lane at the 40 second mark, the Cardinals called a timeout to set up a play for Miles. As Alston closely guarded Miles' drive to the basket, he was called for a hand check out near the free throw line.
Miles went to the line with 10 seconds to play and hit two free throws to give the Cardinals a one-point lead. The Aggies then drew up a play for Alston to drive to the basket for the game-winner. Alston was stopped short of getting into the paint and settled for a jump shot that fell short.
"I give my kids credit for putting themselves in a position to win,'' said Eaves. "We've played a lot of road games in a short period of time. I don't return to my gym until January, so I certainly give them credit for still having the legs to compete. But we simply have to win these games if we want to get to where we are trying to go."
Nabors led the Cardinals with 21 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. Miles added 15 points and nine assists.
The Aggies (3-5) just completed a stretch that saw them play eight games in two weeks, including three games in the last four days in the southwest portion of the country. They will continue on the road as they open conference play against Norfolk State at the Echols Center on Dec. 5.
