ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Anyone who takes on double and sometime triple teams game after game deserves for something good to happen when an open space becomes available.
That is what happened for North Carolina A&T women's basketball graduate center Aprill McRae Monday night as she broke free from the S.C. State defense to take a pass from redshirt junior Dana Brown to make the game-winning layup in a 57-54 win over the Bulldogs at S-H-M Memorial Center.
McRae led the Aggies with 14 points and six rebounds. Sophomore Kala Green who also hit a big shot toward the end of the game had 10 while sophomore Michelle Fitzgerald had another stellar day on the boards with eight points and nine rebounds.
The win is the Aggies (7-8, 3-1 MEAC) third straight and keeps them near the top of the conference as MEAC perennial power Hampton comes to Corbett Sports Center Saturday at 2 p.m.
“Tonight's win was huge,” said N.C. A&T head coach Tarrell Robinson. “We don't feel like as a team we had the type of non-conference season we were capable of having. Being able to come in and win our first conference game in December and now to have a winning streak of three games, it's important as we prepare for a team who has dominated this conference.”
What made McRae's game-winning shot even sweeter was that it was a bit of a redemption for the Raleigh native. The Aggies led 51-46 with 3 ½ minutes to play. Jazzmine Johnson scored for the Bulldogs to cut the lead to three. The Aggies were not able to respond as McRae missed a layup and after an offensive rebound by Courtney Powell, McRae coupled the miss with a turnover. The turnover led to another Johnson score to bring the Bulldogs to within one, 51-50, with 2:54 to play.
Another McRae turnover helped the Bulldogs (6-8, 2-2) tie the game with a free throw. Green then made her big shot as she drove baseline and a tossed up a floater to give the Aggies a 53-51 lead with 1:42 to play.
“Kala Green is growing as the year goes on,” said Robinson. “She didn't play much last year, but she is a talented kid who is starting to figure out how to stay on the floor.”
S.C. State's response to Green was emphatic as Amber Howard muscled herself inside to score and was fouled by Powell. Howard completed the 3-point play to give the Bulldogs a 54-53 lead with 35 seconds remaining, setting up McRae's heroics that was a reward for battling double teams and her redemption for the turnovers.
“I thought they did a great job of guarding Aprill all night,” said Robinson. “South Carolina State had a great game plan. Before she made that layup she turned the ball over twice, so to see the ball go in in a winning situation was good for her.”
The Bulldogs preparation paid off early as a Bria Ratliff 3-pointer gave the Bulldogs a 22-12 lead in the second quarter. But like Saturday in their win over Savannah State, the Aggies put together a cluster of threes to get back into the game and stay competitive the rest of the way. Christina Carter started the barrage as the Aggies hit four straight 3-pointers, two by Carter, to take a 29-26 with 90 seconds remaining in the first half.
“Aprill has two or three people on her every play, so if we're able to get our feet set and take a good shot when we're wide open we should be able to knock those down,” said Robinson. “If they are going to focus on Aprill and challenge our shooters to make shots, they've got to make shots.”
