DURHAM –
The game could be tic-tac-toe. If it's North Carolina A&T versus North
Carolina Central, it's going to be a heated and competitive contest. The
2009-10 North Carolina A&T women's basketball team found that out in its
78-74 win over the Eagles Saturday afternoon at McDougald-McLendon
Gymnasium.
Every time it
appeared the Aggies (6-6) had delivered the knockout blow, the Eagles
(2-11) got off the canvas. Two free throws by freshman Amber Calvin with
8.1 seconds remaining finally put the Eagles down for the 10-count.
It was the first
meeting in nine years between the two arch-rivals.
“It's hard to tell
players about the history of these two schools and just how long they
have been competing against one another,'' said Bibbs. “I knew my young
ladies would have to experience it for themselves. When bragging rights
are on the line, you better come to play.”
Senior Tweet Cook
led the Aggies with 23 points and continued her hot shooting from
3-point range by going 4-for-7. She is ranked 14th in the
nation in 3-point shooting. Calvin added 14 points and four assists.
Fellow freshman JaQuayla Berry came off the bench to break open a close
game early in the second half.
Berry scored nine
points during a 12-3 Aggies run. Berry's outburst included a 3-point
play and a 3-pointer. Calvin's 3-pointer at the 11:39 mark capped the
run, and gave the Aggies their biggest lead of the game at 55-42.
“I can't say enough
about my freshmen,'' said Bibbs. “They show their youth at times, but
they are willing to learn. JaQuayla really gave us the spark we needed
to get going.”
The Eagles were able
to get the lead back down to seven, but when sophomore Tierra Thomas
knocked down two free throws with 6:17 remaining to give the Aggies a
63-50 lead, it seemed reasonable to believe N.C. A&T would keep the
Eagles at a distance the rest of the way.
But the Eagles
wouldn't be reasonable. Shanise Blanks' jump shot just inside the
3-point arc cut the Aggies lead to 70-65 with 2:13 remaining. Cook had
an emphatic answer with a 3-pointer from the corner that put N.C. A&T up
eight with less than two minutes to play.
Still not convinced
the Aggies had the game won, freshman Joanna Miller netted a 3-pointer
from the top of the key to put the Eagles within three at 73-70 with
44.2 seconds remaining.
“That young lady is
as good as advertised,'' said Bibbs about Miller who finished with a
game-high 25 points. “She is going to be tough for us to deal with over
the next three years.”
Despite Miller's
efforts, solid free throw shooting clinched the victory for N.C. A&T.
The Aggies were 23-for-27 from the foul line Saturday, including
9-for-10 from the line in the final 5 ½ minutes of the game.
