ELON, NC – A combination of first-half turnovers, foul trouble, and Elon's free throw shooting prevented the North Carolina A&T women's basketball team from winning two straight Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) games.
Elon made 25 of 26 free throws Friday night in a 67-60 win over the Aggies at the Schar Center, dropping A&T to 7-10 overall and 2-4 in league play. The Aggies have now lost their last two games at the Schar Center.
A&T's fifth-year center
Chaniya Clark moved closer to history. She scored a career-high 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds on 8-for-13 shooting. Those rebounds moved her past Jaleesa Sams (2007-11) for sixth all-time with 702. Now, Clark is 32 points shy of becoming only the third player in program history to score 1,000 points and collect 700 rebounds in a career. She would join Malveata Johnson (1997-01) and Helena Creamer (1987-91).
Elon, the conference leader in bench points per game, scored 44 bench points to improve to 8-10 overall and 3-3 in the CAA.
"I thought we dug a hole for ourselves in the first half when we had a few starters in foul trouble, and we had to go to our bench," said A&T head coach
Tarrell Robinson. "Our bench is so young and lacks experience, but they have to get better."
Two of the Aggies' veteran trio – junior
Paris Locke and six-year graduate guard
D'Mya Tucker — found themselves in first-half foul trouble. Officials whistled Tucker for her second foul with 7:01 remaining in the first half, while Locke was forced to the bench with 4:34 remaining.
Without two of their top scorers, the Aggies still moved to within five.
Elliott Jessup hit a 3-pointer, making it 35-30 with 46 seconds remaining in the first half. Two Ashlee Shaw free throws pushed the Phoenix's lead to seven. The Aggies had a chance at one final possession before the half.
However, freshman
Crystal Hardy lost control of the ball off her leg on the sideline and gave Elon an extra possession. Elon capitalized, taking the ball near midcourt and inbounding it to Samira Khali. Khali launched a half-court shot that banked in off the backboard for a 3-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Phoenix a 40-30 halftime lead.
Despite the Phoenix entering the locker room with the momentum, the Aggies scored the first seven points of the second half to get within three. The Aggies remained within three with 1:48 remaining in the third quarter when Tucker dropped a pass inside to freshman center
Anaya Karriem for two points. But the Phoenix had another strong finish to a quarter.
Elon scored the final five points of the third period to go into the fourth quarter with a 55-47 lead. A&T came roaring back again as
Jamyia Lindsey dropped off a pass to Tucker with four minutes to play to cut Elon's lead to 60-58. Unfortunately, the Aggies did not score another point until Jessup made a jumper at the buzzer. In the meantime, Elon went 6-for-6 from the line to seal the win.
"I talked to them about finishing plays. I have to take accountability for that in practice," said Robinson. "I have to make sure we finish defensive stops by boxing out. We get the person who we want shooting the ball, but then they get a second chance because we don't block out. That's on me. I've got to fix that."
After the game, the Aggies did not return to their nearby campus, but instead made the trip to Charleston, SC, in preparation for playing the top team in the CAA, the College of Charleston Cougars, on Sunday, January 25 at 1 p.m., from TD Arena.
The Cougars, riding an eight-game winning streak, will enter Sunday's contest at 15-3 overall and 7-0 in league play.
"I think we can beat anybody in this league if we are locked in," said Robinson. "If we can get the kids to follow scout and finish plays, we can beat anybody. We don't fear anybody. We're defending champs, and until the regular season is over, we're still that."
