FORT MYERS, FLA. - Excellent defense and North Carolina A&T women's basketball are synonymous. What has hampered the Aggies early in the 2024-25 season is putting the ball in the basket.

The Aggies solved that problem during the fourth of their game against Indiana University of Indianapolis (IU Indy) in their second and final game of the FGCU Holiday Classic hosted by Florida Gulf Coast University at Alico Arena.  

A&T went 9-for-14 (.643) from the floor in the fourth quarter, making both of its 3-point attempts to come from behind to defeat the Jaguars 62-53. The win breaks A&T's three-game losing streak, improving the Aggies to 3-7 with one more non-conference game before Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play starts.  

Neveah Foster led IU Indy with 17 points and four rebounds on 3-for-4 shooting from 3-point range, but the Jaguars suffered their 11th consecutive loss, dropping their record to 1-11.

"We scored 22 points, our highest output in the fourth quarter this year," said A&T head coach Tarrell Robinson. "We did a great job knowing when to push in transition and when to execute. We've struggled in those situations in our previous games. We must hold on to how we played in the fourth quarter the rest of the season."

The fourth quarter did not start on a positive note for the Aggies. Foster netted a 3-pointer in transition to give the Jaguars a 45-40 lead. IU Indy's lead grew to six, 48-42, on an Alexia Hocevar layup with 6:18 to play.

The Aggies, who shot 40 percent or better only once this season before Saturday, found a rhythm offensively from there.

Elon transfer Ajia James capped a 7-0 A&T run with a 3-pointer. Azyah Newsome-Cole ended the run with a layup, but the Aggies continued to scorch from the field. An A&T 8-0 spurt followed Newsome-Cole's bucket. The spurt included another James three, and a Maleia Bracone to Chaniya Clark connection capped the run, resulting in a 58-51 lead with 1:33 remaining.

Newsome-Cole scored coming out of a 30-second timeout to get the Jaguars to within five, but Clark, a native of Fort Myers, Fla, netted a jumper, and Dorsey sealed the win with two free throws. The Aggies held IU Indy to 38.5 percent shooting.

"We know we can defend and get stops, but we have to be able to put the ball in the hole after those stops," said Robinson. "It all came together today, and that's what we've been waiting on."

Clark scored a season-high 14 points and contributed six rebounds. Senior Jordan Dorsey added 14 points, five rebounds and five assists. James also scored in double figures with 10 points, going 2-3 from 3-point range.

A&T will return to Greensboro to face Division II Mount Olive on New Year's Eve at Corbett Sports Center with a 5 p.m. tip.