HAMPTON - It has happened before and each time the North Carolina A&T women's basketball team has gone on to win the conference and advance to the MEAC tournament championship game. What happened?
The Aggies lost a conference game. Thanks to a Hampton guard that took care of 3-point shooting. Thanks to another one that took care of the free throws. And then there was Bernadette Fortune, who took care of everything else, the Pirates defeated the Aggies 90-80 Monday night at the HU Convocation.
Monday marked the first time the Aggies have surrendered 90 points to a conference team during the Bibbs era. In each of the previous two seasons, the Aggies finished 15-1 in the conference. The Aggies were hoping to go 16-0 this season. But in all three of their bids to go undefeated over the last three seasons, they have been halted by road losses.
Jaleesa Sams led the Aggies with a career-high 28 points and 10 rebounds. JaQuayla Berry added 20 points, and Lamona Smalley recorded her fourth double-double in five games with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Also on Monday, Lamona Smalley earned her second straight MEAC Player of the Week honor after averaging 17.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists on 16-for-23 shooting last week.
But all the good went to Fortune on Monday. She finished with 30 points and 11 assists on 11-for-14 shooting. Jericka Jenkins had 17 points on 9-for-10 shooting at the free throw line and Choicetta McMillian hit six 3-pointers and ended the night with 18.
"Give Hampton credit. They played extremely well tonight,'' said Bibbs. "They didn't do anything we were not ready for. It was just their night. We were ready for the dribble penetration, but it's hard to simulate just how fast Fortune is on the floor."
Hampton took a nine-point lead in the second half, but the Aggies cut the lead to 55-51 on a 3-point play by Sams. The Pirates moved their lead back to nine before two more Sams free throws got the Aggies to within six at 60-54 with 9:54 remaining. The Pirates (14-10, 9-3) took over the game from there.
When Jenkins and McMillian hit back-to-back 3-pointers the Pirates completed a 13-4 run to take a 73-58 lead with five minutes remaining.
"That was our first loss,'' said Bibbs. "I'd much rather have it happen now than to have it happen in the tournament. My young ladies really wanted to go undefeated in the conference. And I certainly supported that. But now we have to be about the business of winning the regular season and the tournament. If we take care of business, everything will be fine."
The Aggies now hold a two-game lead over the Pirates. If it comes to a tiebreaker, the Pirates will hold the advantage because their point spread in victory was higher than the Aggies, who beat the Pirates 82-81 on Jan. 18. Morgan State trails the Aggies by 2 ½ games with four games to play.
The Aggies return to action against S.C. State Saturday afternoon at 4 from Corbett Sports Center.
