STOCKTON, Calif. (December 15, 2016) – North Carolina A&T men's basketball played yet another close game in the Gotham Classic, but Pacific's excellent free throw showing down the stretch led the Tigers to a 66-57 win at the Spanos Center Thursday night.
Junior Sam Hunt scored all 15 of his points in the second half, while freshman Raymon Pratt got off to a fast start and finished with 14. Junior Eliel Gonzalez also cracked double figures with 11.
The Tigers were able to build their biggest lead of the second half, 55-45, on two D.J. Ursery free throws with four minutes remaining in the game. The Aggies quickly responded with two Gonzalez baskets to pull within six. After a Tigers free throw, Gonzalez found graduate transfer center Aaron Scales underneath for another Aggies field goal. Hunt followed with two free throws to put N.C. A&T within three at 56-53 with 1:25 to play.
N.C. A&T then fell victim to Pacific's excellent free throw shooting. The Tigers went 10-for-10 from the free throw line over the final 90 seconds of the game to clinch the win. Before their excellent ending at the line, the Tigers were just 7-for-12 from the free throw line. The Aggies fell to 0-5 in the state of California as they continued to look for ways to score the basketball. They went 3-for-21 from 3-point range and shot 37.5 percent from the floor.
Despite the Aggies (1-9) not shooting well, their defensive edge has returned. For the second straight game, they held an opponent to under 70 points after their previous three opponents all scored better than 80 points. N.C. A&T opened the game fast offensively as the Aggies first field goal came via a 3-pointer by Pratt. After Pacific (4-6) scored six straight points, a Scales jumper and a Pratt layup gave the Aggies the lead back at 7-6 three minutes into the game. It would be the last time the Aggies would hold the lead.
Pratt would stay hot offensively, however. He scored 13 of the Aggies first 15 points of the game including a jump shot to put the Aggies to within one at 16-15 with 10:20 remaining in the first half. Pacific grew their lead to 23-18 before a 3-pointer from redshirt junior Nick Reese moved the Aggies to within two. An Anthony Townes layup gave Pacific a 28-23 lead at the half.
Jacob Lampkin led the Tigers with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while T.J. Wallace finished with 15.
The Aggies will have little time to recover from their cross-country trip before they host Rider 1 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 18 at Corbett Sports Center.
