FORT MYERS, Fla. (December 14, 2016) – By now it is clear the difficulty of the North Carolina A&T women's basketball schedule is no exaggeration for those paying attention.
It is a schedule full of Power 5 and nationally-ranked teams. The list of top-notch competition continued Wednesday night as one of the best mid-major programs in the country, Florida Gulf Coast, defeated the Aggies 67-41 at Alico Arena. It is not so much the opponents the Aggies are facing that concerns fifth-year head coach Tarrell Robinson. It is the inability to sustain what are good starts and the margin of defeats that result from not being able to maintain strong play throughout four quarters.
“I am pleased with our efforts at the start,” said Robinson. “Florida Gulf Coast really tested us as we have been tested in every game this year. But I don't think the gap, in terms of what we lost by, should be that big. We've just got to get a little bit tougher. We have to do things that help us, and that comes down to our focus, our effort and executing on both ends.”
The Aggies have trailed at halftime in their last four games but it has been by an average of 4.8 points. Yet the average margin of victory for N.C. A&T opponents in that span has been 18.2 points. The Aggies (1-8) again were competitive in the first half against the Eagles (6-5). A Whitney Martin layup pulled the Aggies to within seven, 16-9, at the end of the first quarter.
Another Martin layup kept the Aggies within seven at 18-11 a minute into the second quarter. After FGCU's Taylor Gradinjan hit a 3-pointer, Kilpatrick kept the lead under 10 with a runner. But Gradinjan started helping the Eagles gain some distance with another 3-pointer to give the Eagles a 24-13 lead with 7:15 remaining in the first half.
Despite trailing by as many as 14 in the second half, N.C. A&T didn't let the Eagles get away from them. Two Kala Green free throws sent the Aggies into the locker room down 29-19 at halftime.
“The game got away toward the third quarter because we started making a lot of mental errors,” said Robinson. “The lead gets to what it gets to and then our kids try to save the day with one play. You can't give a well-coached team like this one more opportunities to score against you by making mental errors.”
Kilpatrick put the Aggies to within nine at 32-23 on a short jumper a minute into the second half. The Eagles ran off the next five points, but the Aggies fought back to get within 11, 37-26. But an 8-2 run by FGCU that included a 3-point play Tytionia Adderly and a 3-pointer from Gradinjan gave FCGU a 45-28 lead. By the end of the third quarter the Eagles led 53-33.
The Aggies were led by Kilpatrick who had 16 points, three rebounds, three steals and one steal. She has scored and produced at least one rebound, steal and assist in all nine games this season. She has multiple points, rebounds, steals and assists in seven of those games. Michelle Fitzgerald had 10 rebounds. Gradinjan led the Eagles with 16.
Robinson and the Aggies will not have a lot of time to prepare for the Aggies next opponent in Division II Slippery Rock. N.C. The Rock will visit Corbettt Sports Center 2 p.m., Saturday, December 17.
“We'll probably give them Thursday off which gives us one day to prepare for them,” said Robinson. “The biggest thing is, it will be great to be back home. I think our players will like that as well. We've just got to keep fighting and keep working.”
