EAST GREENSBORO – When North Carolina A&T head women's basketball coach Tarrell Robinson was asked three weeks ago on a podcast how he would react to becoming the program's all-time winningest coach, he indicated that there would be no party.
"I'm one of those people who wants to know what's next. When I get that out of the way, what's the next number," Robinson said on Facebook Live. "Until I'm done doing this, I'm not going to rest on my laurels. I want to continue to try to be the best."
While it is easily believable that a man like Robinson has that mentality. After all, he is the same man who walked into former A&T head women's basketball coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs' office in 2005 as an assistant high school boys basketball coach at High Point Andrews. Twenty minutes later, he convinced her to make him an assistant women's basketball coach at his alma mater.
Therefore, why wouldn't a 44-year-head with three NCAA appearances, three conference tournament championships, four regular-season championships, and three postseason WNIT appearances believe the sky's the limit?
Yet, after A&T's convincing 89-38 win over Mid-Atlantic Christian Tuesday night at Corbett Sports Center, one could sense inside a joyful, grateful, and playful Robinson there was a bit of a party going on.
With the win, Robinson tied Tim Abney for the most coaching victories in program history with his 191st win in Aggieland. Robinson will go for the record next week in Orangeburg, S.C., when the Aggies face former Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) S.C. State at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 22.
"The university and the people who work here mean so much to me," said Robinson, a men's basketball player at A&T from 1997-01. "Getting to this point is about the young women who have played for me. It's about the coaching staff.
It's about my family, who have sacrificed so much so that I can spend time at the university. So, this is a special moment and a special time. And the young women who I'm going through this with right now, I'm appreciative of them as well."
One of those young women is named D'Mya Tucker. Tucker finished one assist shy of a triple-double as she compiled 13 points, 16 rebounds, nine assists and three steals on 6-for-13 shooting. In addition, she secured career highs in rebounds and assists.
Three other players scored in double figures, led by sophomore Jordyn Dorsey's 16 points on 7-for-13 shooting. Talia Davis added 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting, and junior Maleia Bracone finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Whether Robinson would tie Abney on Tuesday night never came into question after the Aggies went on a 16-0 run that started at the 5:15 mark of the first quarter and did not end until the Aggies were leading 31-11 with 9:18 remaining in the second quarter.
"It would mean a lot for us to help him get this record," said Tucker, who, along with Levossie Taylor, has been with Robinson longer than any other players on the roster. "It's great to see these things happen for the Lady Aggies and him as well."
Robinson is in his 11th season at A&T. He tied the record in his 300th game coached. Abney coached in 363 games at A&T. Robinson's .637 winning percentage also stands as the best in program history.
"It was good that 191 was the way it was. It was an easy 191," said Robinson.
Robinson won his 100th game inside Corbett on Tuesday. If the Aggies win at S.C. State, it will give him win No. 192, putting him atop any other women's basketball coach to ever grace the bench. Meanwhile, only two other people who have coached basketball at A&T have ever led the Aggies to 200 victories, and their names grace the court at Corbett in Cal Irvin and Don Corbett.
But even when he gets there, Robinson will still probably ask … What's the next number?
