BALITMORE - Poet Rudyard Kipling said it best with the
phrase, "Lest we forget."
It is a warning on the perils of exaggerated expectations.
In the midst of beating Liberty, Clemson and head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs'
quest for 500 wins during the 2011-12, there was something ignored as the North
Carolina A&T women's basketball team entered conference play.
The Aggies are young. In front of a nationally televised
audience on ESPNU Monday night, the Aggies started two first-year players, and
everyone who came off the bench was a first-year player.
Led by 38 points from senior center Jeanine Manley, an
experienced Coppin State team beat the Aggies 85-63 at the Physical Education
Complex.
Redshirt sophomore Amber Calvin hit all seven of her free
throws to finish with a team-high 18 points. Junior JaQuayla Berry had 15
points and nine rebounds, while reigning MEAC Rookie of the Week Tiffanie Adair
finished with eight points and 10 rebounds.
"They're trying. They're really trying," said Bibbs
following the team's fourth straight loss. "I saw some good things out there
tonight, I really did. But we have to rely on so many young players."
Bibbs is not opposed to the effort her team is exhibiting.
In fact, she finds herself sometimes impressed by her young team's willingness
to compete. What she does want is for them to see the fruits of their labor.
"They work and work," she said. "We just need to get them to
the point where all the hard work results in something positive."
Manley led a first-half offensive approach that saw the
Eagles live around the basket. Thirty-four of the Eagles' 42 first-half points
came in the paint as they took a 19-point lead into the locker room. They were
able to shoot 18-for-32 from 2-point range over the first 20 minutes.
A&T made a better effort of getting to the basket and
drawing fouls in the second half. Berry, Calvin and freshman Ariel Bursey made
numerous trips to the line to open the second half. The threesome accounted for
23 of the Aggies 29 free throws on Monday.
Two Bursey free throws at the 15:25 mark cut the Eagles lead
to 11. Three minutes later, Berry made a move into the lane, fumbled the
basketball but recovered to toss a pass to Calvin in the corner.
Calvin hit the 3-pointer and was fouled by Ashley Craig. The
4-point play pulled the Aggies to within eight, 55-47.
"We've got to get that fight in us," said Bibbs. "When we
got to within eight, I was looking for that fight. Instead, we got out of
character just when everything was working in our favor. We went back to our
bad habits."
Meanwhile, Coppin State reverted to what was working for
them in the first half - Manley. Manley scored 10 of Coppin State's next 15
points to take a 68-52 lead with 7:47 remaining. It didn't help that Aggies
center Nikia Gorham had to sit on the sideline most of the second half in foul
trouble. She fouled out with seven points and six rebounds.
"There is no way one young lady is supposed to score 38
points against us," said Bibbs. "We have to defend her, whether you play in
front of her, or with weakside help. You've got to defend that. We have to find
a way to keep Nikia in the game. She can't help us on that bench."
The good news for A&T is a return home on Saturday, Jan.
28 when it plays Maryland Eastern Shore at 2 p.m.
