GREENSBORO – There were enough parts of Thursday night's game that gave North Carolina A&T's men's basketball team high degrees of hope. But it just didn't work out for the Aggies in their 98-88 Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) loss to the Delaware Blue Hens at Corbett Sports Center.
"We have opportunities, and I feel like we're right there, but we're not capitalizing on the opportunities that we have," A&T head coach Monté Ross said. "We're close. But it harkens back to I say I never question effort and this group's ability to play hard. I believe we rumble for 40 minutes. We just don't make the intelligent plays sometimes, which gets us in trouble."
A&T guard Ryan Forrest had 15 of his 26 points in the second half, but the Aggies dropped to 4-13 overall and 0-4 in CAA play after losing its third straight.
Aggies forward Nikolaos Chitikoudis scored 12 of his career-high 18 points in the first half to go with 10 rebounds to record his third straight double-double. It is his fifth of the season. Jahnathan Lamothe added 16 points and eight rebounds, and Landon Glasper fouled out with 46.6 seconds left with 11 points. Glasper was fouled while shooting a 3-pointer late in the game and connected on all three free throws awarded to keep his scoring in-double-figures streak alive at 39 straight games.
With a sparse gathering likely impacted by students yet to return for the second semester and the forecast of an impending wintry storm, the Aggies were hit by a Delaware avalanche midway through the second half and couldn't fully recover.
Trailing by 91-71 with two minutes to play thanks to a 23-7 Blue Hens run, the Aggies kept the effort up.
"Credit to the guys for not quitting," Ross said. "They're staying in there. They're fighting."
The Blue Hens improved to 9-7 overall and 2-1 in the CAA after five players scored in double figures. Izaiah Pasha's 22 and John Camden's 21 led the way as the Blue Hens shot 55.6 percent from the field. A&T made just eight of its first 20 free-throw attempts. That was another area of concern.
"I got to do something so that the foul line looks a little closer," Ross said.
With A&T behind by 60-54, Glasper picked up his fourth foul at the 13:39 mark, yet that wasn't the end. The Aggies kept dodging a knockout, closing within 68-64 with more than nine minutes remaining. But by the time Delaware's Macon Emory banked in a 3-pointer, A&T dropped into a 75-64 hole with about seven minutes to play. It was 79-64 before two free throws for Camian Shell.
"We have to find a way to make those plays that we aren't making," Ross said. "That's on me. I have to keep putting them in good positions. I have to put them in better positions so that the shot is even easier. I feel like the responsibility is on me."
A&T adjusted after the Blue Hens carved through the defense for 44 points in less than 16 minutes, putting the Aggies in a 13-point hole. A&T rattled off the next nine points before trailing 47-41 at halftime. The Aggies shot well enough in the first half at 50 percent (17-34) to be in better shape.
Chitikoudis shot 5-for-5 from the field in the opening half and began the second half with two baskets. There was a boost from having guard Bryson Ogletree back in action for the first time since the season's second game. He had been out with a finger injury. He provided five points and four rebounds in 21 minutes.
"It also allows all the guys on the perimeter to get some rest," Ross said. "That's what we didn't have. Obviously, he didn't have his legs up under him tonight. He's actually that sparkplug that we've been missing an awful lot."
The Aggies go to William & Mary for Saturday's 2 p.m. tip for their first road game since Dec. 21. They're back home next Thursday night against Monmouth.
