Lady Aggies fall to FAMU

[AggieMike]

FAMU - 72
NC A&T - 65

Can't win 'em all. I'm still proud of them though.

[Aggie77]

From a FAMU perceptive:

LADY RATTLERS BOUNCE N.C. A&T, 72-65 MONDAY

FAMU snaps four-game losing skid to A&T; now just half-game out of MEAC lead

Jan. 15, 2007


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida A&M Women's Basketball team played well in the clutch here Monday evening to seize a 72-65 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory over North Carolina A&T in the Gaither Athletic Center.

Florida A&M (9-8, 5-1 in MEAC), snapped a four-game losing streak to the Lady Aggies (9-7, 4-1), which suffered their first conference loss of the young campaign.

The win left FAMU in sole possession of second place, just one-half game back of Coppin State (10-6, 5-0), a 63-56 overtime winner over Hampton Monday.

North Carolina A&T got going early in the first half, turning a close game in the opening minutes into an eight-point lead, 25-17 on a Brittanie Taylor-James three-pointer with 7:25 left.

The Lady Rattlers would slice the A&T lead to three points three times down the stretch before Q'Vaunda Curry's third three-pointer of the half with 23 seconds left, tied the score at 31-31.

FAMU's Ifeoma Onuaku went to the foul line with one second left in the half, making the second of two free throw attempts to put FAMU ahead, 32-31 at the break.

In the second half, the Lady Rattlers pushed their meager lead to eight points, 39-31, with a 7-0 run keyed by Curry, who scored five points during the flurry, including a three-pointer with 16:59 to play.

A&T then staged a flurry of their own, scoring nine unanswered points led by four points from Taylor-James, plus baskets from LaPorsha Lowry and Lamona Smalley and a foul shot by Tu'Wuana Cook to take the lead, 40-39 with 14:04 to go.

FAMU's Secrett Anderson hit a jumper with 13:40 to put her team ahead, 41-40, then Taylor-James nailed a jumper to put A&T ahead, 42-41, as the back-and-forth style resumed.

Joslyne Jackson's three-pointer with 13:16 gave FAMU the lead, 44-42 and the Lady Rattlers would eventually build a five-point lead, at 47-42, before A&T rallied again with a Tu'Wauna Cook trey putting them ahead, 49-47 with 10:04 left.

The game went back-and-fourth again for a spell before freshman guard Marke Freeman cashed in a triple with 6:42 left to give FAMU the lead for good, 58-56.

Although A&T would close within one, 59-58 on a jumper by Lonise Coulter with 4:05 left, FAMU had control and gradually built the lead to nine points, 72-63 on a pair of Freeman charity tosses with 32 seconds left.

Curry finished with 23 points to lead FAMU, connecting on five three-pointers in the game. The freshman duo of forward Secrett Anderson (15 points, eight rebounds) and Marke Freeman (12 points, seven rebounds) combined for 27 points and 15 rebounds. Junior Joslyne Jackson rounded out the FAMU quartet with 11 points.

Freeman and Curry made their mark in the second half, combining for 24 points (Curry 14, Freeman 10), including four three-pointers (two each), as the Lady Rattlers outscored A&T, 40-34.

Brittanie Taylor-James scored a team-high 17 points for A&T, followed by Amber Bland and Ta'Wauna Cook with 10 points each. Lamona Smalley hauled down a game-high 14 rebounds, followed by Taylor-James with 10 boards.

[Aggie77]

Freeman lifts FAMU to win
Freshman guard scores 10 points in second half
By Heath A. Smith
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Marke Freeman was the star at Lamphier High School. She made things happen when the ball was in her hands, and the ball was in her hands a lot.

It was just like high school for Freeman Monday afternoon as the freshman point guard scored 10 points in the second half to help lead the Florida A&M Lady Rattlers to a key 72-65 win against the visiting North Carolina A&T Lady Aggies.

North Carolina A&T came into Gaither Gymnasium as one of two remaining unbeaten teams in the MEAC along with Coppin State. The Lady Aggies left Tallahassee with their first conference loss, however, dropping to 4-1 in the MEAC, 9-7 overall.

Florida A&M improved to 5-1 in the MEAC, 9-8 overall, thanks in no small part to the play of Freeman and forward Secrett Anderson, also a freshman.

"They (Freeman and Anderson) are getting better each and every game," said FAMU women's basketball coach Debra Clark. "Marke was strong and made some big plays for us in the second half. Secrett is aggressive and she works real hard."

Anderson scored 10 points in the first half on four of six shooting from the field and finished the game with 15 points and eight rebounds.

Freeman finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. The freshmen didn't have all the fun for the Lady Rattlers, however.

Junior guard Q'Vaunda Curry led all scorers with 23 points. Curry scored 15 points on five of 13 shooting from the 3-point line.

Forward Brittanie Taylor-James led North Carolina A&T with 17 points.

Neither team shot particularly well or took care of the ball. North Carolina A&T shot just 35.7 percent from the field and turned the ball over 21 times.

FAMU shot just 37.3 percent from the field and turned the ball over 22 times. FAMU made the Lady Aggies pay a little more for turnovers, however, getting 26 points off turnovers to their 20 points.

FAMU also had the edge in bench points, outscoring North Carolina A&T's bench 20-12.

In addition to Freeman's 12 points off the bench, the Lady Rattlers also got eight points and six rebounds from senior center Ifeoma Onuaku.


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