WINSTON-SALEM (November 10, 2018) – It basically came down to rebounding for the North Carolina A&T men's basketball team at Joel Coliseum as the Wake Forest Demon Deacons doubled the Aggies effort on the glass in a 90-78 win at Joel Coliseum Saturday afternoon.
The Aggies were outrebounded 44-22 against the Demon Deacons. The new-look Aggies have been outrebounded by 32 over the first two games. They did get a great effort on the glass and elsewhere from sophomore Kameron Langley. Langley finished with five points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Junior Andre Jackson came off the bench to lead the Aggies with 18 points on 5-for-10 shooting from 3-point range.
A lack of rebounding may have also extended from the Aggies running into foul trouble. Starting graduate center Ibrahim Sylla fouled out after playing only eight minutes. He had 12 points and six rebounds in the Aggies opener against UNC Greensboro. Graduate forward Terry Harris also found himself in foul trouble even though he managed to score 15 points on 4-for-7 shooting from 3-point range.
What did go right for the Aggies was their 3-point shooting. N.C. A&T hit 11 of 26 from beyond the arc and that was without sharpshooter Qua Copeland hitting a three on Saturday despite him scoring 10 points.
The Aggies led temporarily in the first half. A Nelson Nweke layup gave N.C. A&T a 16-14 lead 7 ½ minutes into the game. Wake Forest's Brandon Childress responded with a three to put the Demon Deacons ahead for good. The Aggies were still within in one, 20-19, on an Aaren Edmead layup.
Wake started to extend their lead, however, thanks to a 12-3 run to open their lead to 32-22 with 7:50 remaining in the first half. The double-digit lead remained until graduate guard Amari Hamilton hit a 3-pointer to put the Aggies to within seven, 41-34 with 3:39 to play in the first half. Isaiah Mucius put the Demon Deacons ahead by 10 again, 44-34, but a Ronald Jackson dunk and a free throw by sophomore D'Andre Johnson helped the Aggies get to within nine, 46-37, at the half.
The Demon Deacons opened their lead to 17 over the first four minutes of the second half. N.C. A&T was not able to get the lead back under 10 until there was only 1:26 remaining in the game as Andre Jackson netted a three.
Six Demon Deacons scored in double figures led by Jaylen Hoard who finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds on 6-for-12 shooting.
N.C. A&T returns to action against another Power Five school as they head to Maryland to face the Maryland Terrapins at 7 p.m.
