A&T STATISTICAL LEADERS: G D'Mya Tucker (21 pts, 8-for-8 FGs, 8 rebs.), G Chanin Scott (16 pts., 5-for-10 FGs, 7 rebs.), C Jazmin Harris (7 pts., 9 rebs.), G Sean Kelly Darks (5 pts., 5 rebs., 3 steals, 3 assists).
NCCU STATISTICAL LEADERS: Necole Hope (13 pts., 5-for-13 FGs, 2 steals), Paris McBride (11 pts, 4-for-9 FGs, 5 steals, 3 rebs.), Ashlyn Lockard (7 pts., 3 rebs., 2 steals).
WHY DID A&T GET THE W: After being bothered by an aggressive North Carolina Central defense throughout the afternoon that led to 37 turnovers, the Aggies flipped the script on NCCU in the fourth quarter. They forced nine fourth-quarter NCCU turnovers that led to an 11-0 advantage in points off turnovers for the Aggies in the fourth.
WHY DID NCCU NOT GET THE W: The Eagles went on an incredible 24-4 run between the third and fourth quarters to take a 51-38 lead with 8:16 remaining, but then saw their offense disappear. The Eagles converted only two more field goals the rest of the way, the final one coming with 3:23 remaining in the game as the Aggies completed an impressive fourth-quarter comeback.
CRUCIAL: D'Mya Tucker and Chanin Scott were vital to the Aggies offensively in the fourth quarter. Shareka McNeill, who has a reputation for being an offensive threat, was superb on the defensive end in the fourth quarter. Tucker had 12 fourth-quarter points, and Scott had six. The Aggies put McNeill on NCCU point guard Paris McBride in the fourth, limiting McBride's playmaking ability that helped NCCU have a big third quarter.
EAST GREENSBORO – Between the moments her coach gave her the third degree about her many turnovers on Saturday afternoon, sophomore D'Mya Tucker (Orangeburg, S.C.) was putting together a career-best offensive performance.
It helped the Aggies overcome a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat archrival North Carolina Central, 60-55, in a non-conference women's basketball game at Corbett Sports Center.
Tucker had nine turnovers, and the Aggies posted 37 as a team. As a result, the Eagles had 62 shot opportunities to the Aggies 45. Those factors are enough to drive any coach crazy, and it indeed drove A&T coach Tarrell Robinson batty. Yet, the Aggies overcame a suffocating Eagles defense, and Tucker played a significant role.
Her 21 points on Saturday marked a new career-high. Tucker was also perfect from the field, going 3-for-3 in the first quarter and 5-for-5 in the fourth.
"I was telling my staff that I did not know that she went 8-for-8 from the field, including one from the three because I was going in on her about those nine turnovers," said Robinson. "She stayed the course. D'Mya is a fantastic kid, a great person and a hard worker. Today was well deserved. She's been due this type of game. I hope she builds from this."
Tucker opened the game with seven points but quickly had to sit because she got into early foul trouble. Tucker's fast start helped the Aggies take a 14-6 lead in the first quarter. But the Aggies turned the ball over nine times over the final four minutes of the first period as the Eagles closed the first period down only two, 14-12.
In fact, from the four-minute mark in the first quarter until the 8:15-mark of the fourth quarter, the Eagles outscored A&T 45-24. However, despite NCCU's surge, they trailed 29-24 at halftime, and they could not take the lead until there was 1:18 remaining in the third quarter as Paris McBride hit two free throws to give NCCU a 38-36 lead.
Once the Eagles got the lead, they rocketed to a double-figure lead. A 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the third quarter by McBride gave the Eagles a 45-36 lead. A Diamond Thomas jumper gave the Eagles their 51-38 at the 8:15-mark.
The Aggies found their defensive motivation, and Tucker found her offensive rhythm again. Tucker hit a floater in the lane and then a reverse layup to cut the lead to nine before a Chanin Scott took a pass from Tucker and netted a three to slice the Eagles lead to 51-45.
"I haven't had my best games this season," said Tucker. "But I wanted to make sure that I kept getting to my spot, making the right shot and making the right decision. Despite my turnovers, I wanted to keep playing hard and giving it my all."
Tucker wasn't finished giving it her all. She took a pass from Scott and swished a baseline jumper to get the Aggies to within four at 51-47 with six minutes to play.
Thomas finally had an answer for the Eagles as she hit a short baseline jumper to push the lead back to six. The Aggies, who had trouble getting the ball inside to center Jazmin Harris (McLeansville, N.C.), reversed the ball to the corner to Sean Kelly Darks (Cincinnati, Ohio), who lobbed an entry pass over a double team to Harris, who scored to cut the lead to four.
A&T cut the lead to one when Scott followed a Harris miss with a tip-in. Thomas fouled Scott on the play, leading to a Scott free throw and a 53-52 Aggies deficit with five minutes remaining. Tucker gave the Aggies lead with two free throws 90 seconds later before Nyasia Palmer's corner jumper gave the Eagles lee lead back seconds later.
After guard Shareka McNeill (Charlotte, N.C.) hit a free throw to tie the game at 55, a key offensive rebound from Darks led to two Dark free throws gave the Aggies a 57-55 lead with 44 seconds remaining. The Eagles did not answer, and the Aggies went 3-for-4 from the line the rest of the way to clinch their 10th straight home win.
"We just wanted to make sure we followed the scout, bring defensive intensity, and make smart decisions," said Tucker.
QUOTABLE: "It's what you want in a rival game. There was momentum going both ways. One team took advantage of the momentum, and then the other team at home responded. I thought we came together and figured out to win the game. I told them that this was a character win. I told them at half that we will have a bad loss in a rivalry game when the rival responds more than you do. Or we are going to fight and find a way to win, and we did. I'm proud of them for that."
Head Coach Tarrell Robinson on the Aggies win over rival NCCU
GAME NOTES
- The win was the fifth consecutive win against the Eagles.
- The Aggies shot 54.5 percent in the first quarter and 50 percent in the fourth quarter. A&T outscored NCCU 38-22 during the first and fourth quarters. The Eagles outscored the Aggies 33-22 during the second and thirds.
- Chanin Scott recorded 16 points for her sixth double-figure scoring game this season.
- A&T is 155-36 when shooting between 40-49 percent from the floor under Robinson after shooting 44.4 percent on Saturday.
- A&T is also 71-21 when scoring in the 60s and 143-32 when allowing less than 60 points under Robinson.
- The Aggies are in a three-game homestand after defeating SCSU 86-46 and NCCU 60-55. They host East Carolina Thursday at 6 p.m.
