NORFOLK, Va. – Experience and memories were an asset Friday afternoon at the Norfolk Scope Arena for the North Carolina A&T women's basketball team.
Players such as Aprill McRae, Adriana Nazario and Christina Carter remember being ahead by 11 in the second half before losing to Coppin State two years ago in the MEAC tournament semifinals. The same threesome remembers overcoming an eight-point halftime deficit before losing to Savannah State last season the tournament semis.
On Friday, the veteran Aggies and their teammates overcame an eight-point third-quarter deficit. They overcame their best player fouling out, and they overcame a longtime nemesis to advance to the MEAC Basketball Tournament Championship game with a 63-54 win over Hampton. McRae scored a career-high 25 points and was 9-for-14 from the floor. Junior Dana Brown matched her career high with 20 points on 12-for-14 shooting from the line. Graduate forward Courtney Powell matched a season high with 12 rebounds. Hampton's Malia Tate-DeFreitas had 27 points in a losing effort.
The win was vindication for an Aggies (18-11) team who came into the 2016 tournament with three straight losses in the semis. The win also snapped the Aggies' six-game losing streak to the Pirates. N.C. A&T will make their first championship game appearance in seven years as they face Coppin State approximately at 4 p.m., Saturday at Scope Arena. The Aggies will be after their third MEAC tournament title and their first in seven years. The Aggies are 2-4 in MEAC title games and 0-2 in MEAC titles games versus Coppin State with losses to the Eagles in 1991 and 2008.
“We talked Wednesday about us having advanced to the semifinals three years in a row and we didn't want to make it a fourth year in a row where we didn't win and get to the championship game. I thought we found a way to win in the fourth quarter. I'm so excited for our seniors.”
Hampton started to conjure up memories of past shortcomings in the semifinals for the Aggies as Dejane' James' 3-point play gave the Pirates a 41-33 lead with 2:31 remaining in the third quarter. After an Aggies free throw, Nazario raced down the floor and dished off a pass to Kenya Hailey for a baseline jumper that brought the Aggies to within five, 41-36, at the end of the quarter.
Then McRae happened. She scored 12 of the Aggies first 13 points in the fourth quarter, turning to the Aggies bench after scores filled with the emotional excitement of someone trying not to have another MEAC run stopped in the semis. McRae's offensive outburst gave the Aggies a 50-44 lead with 4:19 to play. Hampton had no answers for the Raleigh, N.C., native as four Pirates fouled out thanks in part to McRae.
But Hampton, winners of five of the last six MEAC tournaments, did not go down easily. K'lynn Willis scored inside to cut N.C. A&T's lead to 52-50 with 2:18 to play. A Kaylah Lupoe then drove to the basket and drew McRae's fifth foul with 1:45 remaining in the game. Lupoe hit one free throw to bring Hampton to within one. Dana Brown responded with two free throws before perhaps the biggest standout play of the game occurred.
After a Tate-DeFreitas missed 3-pointer the Aggies gained possession. Carter drove baseline and was met by Lupoe in the paint as Lupoe initially drew the offensive foul from Carter. But after conferring, the officials changed the call to a block. Carter hit both free throws with 1:09 to play as the Pirates never made a serious threat from there.
“Aprill has been great for us all season, but we have always prided ourselves on being an all-around team. We don't depend on just one person,” said Brown about the team's thought process when McRae fouled out. “If one person goes out, we all have to step up and get it done.”
Saturday's title game is a matchup of the two hottest teams in the MEAC. Coppin State (16-15) has won nine straight, while N.C. A&T has won 9 of 10. The Eagles defeated the Aggies 65-59 in Baltimore earlier this season.
“I'm excited to be playing against Coppin because I think we have something to prove, and I think it will motivate our ladies,” said Robinson. “We'll need it because Derek Brown is one of the great coaches in this league and what he has accomplished in this league is impressive. (CSU) has a balanced attack and they have some seniors who were obviously committed to putting them in this position.”
