NORFOLK, Va. – Captains Debbie Smith, Christina Carter, Aprill McRae and Adriana Nazario are the only ones who have the chain, but everyone who is a part of the women's basketball team is linked.
After the third-seeded North Carolina A&T women's basketball team blew past No. 6 Bethune-Cookman 75-54 in Thursday's quarterfinal matchup at the MEAC tournament at Norfolk Scope Arena, redshirt junior center Aprill McRae had the chain possessed by the four Aggie captains draped around her neck at the postgame press conference.
“Each link represents a person on our team and a person on our coaching staff,” said McRae as the lights in the media room reflected off the long, sparkling chain hanging over the Aggies and No. 14 on her jersey. “Together we've formed this chain and if we keep every link together, we can stay together and win.”
The win advances the Aggies (20-10), who have won 20 or more games three straight seasons and six out of the last eight, to the semifinals where they will face No. 2 seed Savannah State 2:30 p.m., Friday at the Scope. McRae did her part to keep her link of the chain strong on Thursday. She finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. Smith also scored in double figures with 13 on 6-for-10 shooting. Nazario and Dana Brown had 10 apiece. The Aggies shot a season-high 56.3 percent from the floor.
But it was McRae who punished the Wildcats (13-17) early. The Aggies came in banking on McRae being a good matchup against All-MEAC center Kailyn Williams. They were right. McRae started the game 4-for-4 and the Aggies jumped out to a 19-12 advantage. She was slowed down by picking up her second foul with 11:33 remaining in the first half.
“I came in with a different mindset today because I knew I couldn't come in and start off slow,” said McRae. “I had to go out there and start out fast because at this point it is one and done.”
McRae's second foul coincided with B-CU guard Jasmine Knowles heating up from the outside as she connected on two three-pointers during a 12-4 Wildcat spurt. Her second three of the run gave B-CU its only lead of the game at 28-27 with 4:43 remaining in the first half. Brown quickly answered with a three, Smith drove the lane for two more, Natiece Ford had a put back and Smith completed the Aggies 10-2 run with a 3-pointer to put A&T ahead 37-30.
After two Brown free throws gave the Aggies a 39-32 lead, a Bethune-Cookman foul and technical foul gave the Aggies four free throws. A&T hit three of them to go up 10 with 45 seconds remaining in the half. The Wildcats never got the lead under 10 again. The game was a stark contrast to when the Aggies won by six in Daytona Beach, Fla., and by three in Greensboro during the regular season.
“This was a nervous first round for me,” said A&T head coach Tarrell Robinson. “I knew they were one of the few teams in the league that had us figured out. I'm thankful we were able to get over the hump and advance.”
The Aggies will now face a Savannah State team (19-10) that boasts wins over Florida and five-time defending MEAC champion Hampton during the regular season. The Tigers' win over Hampton on Jan. 24 snapped the Pirates 54-game conference winning streak.
SSU and A&T split during the regular season with the Tigers winning in Greensboro and the Aggies winning in Savannah, Ga.
“There was a calmness coming into the first round because the expectation is that we are going to get out of the first round,” said Robinson whose teams have been eliminated in the semifinals the past two seasons. “Now we're going into unchartered territory. We're going into the semifinals, and we want to advance from there. We haven't changed our preparation, but I think my mind and the young ladies' minds are set on making it to the championship.”
The Aggies haven't reached the finals since winning the tournament in 2009. Perhaps a little symbolism, something like a linked chain, can get them there.
“We needed something that meant everyone was buying in,” said McRae.
