JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (December 13, 2018) – Two Aggies posted double figures for the North Carolina A&T women's basketball team Thursday night, but their come-from-behind efforts fell short in a 61-56 loss at East Tennessee State at Brooks Gymnasium.
Senior Charnise Tyler had 12 points and 11 rebounds and freshman Rayven Peeples closed the game with a season-high 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Aggies. It was Peeples second double-double in three games. It is the first time two Aggies have had double-doubles in the same game since Eboni Ross and Aprill McRae did it during the 2015 season.
Junior C'coriea Foy added 16 points and a career-high eight assists.
The Aggies (2-7) outrebounded the Buccaneers 42-33 led by Tyler and Peeples. Despite the Aggies advantage on the glass, the Bucs shot 64.3 percent (9-for-14) in the third quarter. When Erica Haynes-Overton hit a jumper to open the fourth quarter, the Bucs took a 48-35 lead. N.C. A&T, however, began to fight back.
A 9-0 run was started by a jumper from junior Cinia McCray. It ended when Foy netted a 3-pointer to bring the Aggies to within four, 48-44, with 7:44 to play. That lead was shrunk to two when Foy found Peeples on the break to cut ETSU's lead to 52-50 with 5:17 remaining. A minute later, Foy gave the Aggies the lead by nailing a jump shot to give the Aggies a 53-52 advantage.
But Lexas Spears scored on a layup and Haynes-Overton hit a jump shot to put the Bucs back in front. When Haynes-Overton hit a free throw, it completed a 5-0 run for ETSU. The big blow came after a Tyler made three that cut ETSU's lead to 57-54. Micah Scheetz came down on the ensuing possession a netted a 3-pointer to give ETSU a 60-54 lead with 1:10 remaining.
“I thought my ladies showed a lot of effort and resilience tonight,” said N.C. A&T coach Tarrell Robinson. “We got down in the first and third quarters and made runs to be within a possession of taking control of the game.”
The Aggies did struggle out of the gate against ETSU (2-11). Ten first-quarter turnovers put the Aggies behind 15-8 after the first period. N.C. A&T cut their number of turnovers in half in the second quarter, got more shots up and were able to eat into the Bucs' lead. A Foy 3-pointer cut ETSU's lead to 25-23 before Peeples rebounded a Shantell Bostick miss and put it back to tie the game at 25 at halftime.
“We have to walk away with a loss tonight, but I think we learned a few things about ourselves that will help us moving forward.”
N.C. A&T will play locally next as they head to Elon to face the Phoenix 7 p.m., Tuesday, December 18.
