EAST GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T had one of its most dominant wins in women's basketball program history on Friday as they breezed to a 102-29 win over St. Andrews inside Corbett Sports Center.
In the process, head coach Tarrell Robinson moved one step closer to history. It was his 190th coaching victory at A&T, putting two wins shy of breaking Tim Abney's record and becoming the program's all-time winningest coach. Robinson can tie Abney on Tuesday when the Aggies face Mid-Atlantic Christian at 6 p.m. inside Corbett.
On the court, five Aggies scored in double figures, led by junior Maleia Bracone, who finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists on 8-for-12 shooting from the floor and 4-for-5 shooting from 3-point range. Bracone, who played two seasons at Presbyterian College, had a career high in assists. In addition, Bracone's four made 3-pointers tied a career, marking the fifth time in her career she has connected on four threes.
But it wasn't Bracone who started the 3-point party for A&T (1-1). After Makayla Salliey gave the Knights (0-3) their only lead of the game at 2-0 on a jump shot, sophomore Jordyn Dorsey netted a three off a pass from Bracone.
Bracone then found Aggie center Jazmin Harris inside for an easy two before Dorsey assisted on a D'Mya Tucker basket. Bracone then unleashed back-to-back threes that swished to give the Aggies a 13-2 lead three minutes into the game.
The blowout was on from there. Seven different Aggies scored in the first as the Aggies took a 28-6 lead. In the second quarter, the Knights went 1-for-18 from the floor as the Aggies went into the locker room at halftime, leading 54-9. The Knights did not hit double figures as a team until Ashley Starks hit a layup to make it a 66-11 game with 4:46 remaining in the third quarter.
While the Knights struggled to score in double figures. The Aggies put four more players in double figures, including Harris, who finished with 16 points, 15 rebounds and seven blocks. Harris, who spent three seasons with the Charlotte 49ers, recorded her sixth career double-double and her third double-double as an Aggie.
Her seven blocks tie a career-high she first set as a 49er on Jan. 29, 2021, against Western Kentucky. In addition, Harris' 15 rebounds are a career high in an Aggies uniform. She had 19 rebounds as a 49er on Jan. 20, 2020. Eight of Harris' rebounds on Friday came on the offensive end.
Tucker had 14 points, and Dorsey and Talia Davis had 12 points apiece to round out the Aggies double-figure scorers. Tucker added six rebounds and four assists on 5-for-8 shooting from the floor and 2-for-2 shooting from 3-point range. Dorsey dished out four dimes, made two of the three 3-pointers she attempted, and was 5-for-9 from the floor. Davis was 6-for-8 from the floor and finished five boards. Nyah Willis added nine points and six assists.
A&T's win ties the program record for the largest margin of victory. The Aggies defeated Bennett College 85-12 on Nov. 24, 1990. Twenty-nine points are the fewest points an opponent has scored against A&T since Morgan State scored 27 points against A&T in 1994. The last time the Aggies reached 100 points was on Jan. 3, 2021, when they scored 102 points against Averett.
Meanwhile, Robinson is not only one win shy of tying the program record for coaching victories but also one win shy of his 100th win at Corbett Sports Center.
