From the News and Record
www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080217/NRSTAFF/802170348/-1/SPORTS10Powerful A&T stays perfect in MEAC
Staff Report
SUNDAY, FEB. 17, 2008 3:00 AM
N.C. A&T 105
Maryland-Eastern Shore 79
GREENSBORO -- MEAC-leading N.C. A&T topped second-place Maryland- Eastern Shore 105-79 in a high-scoring MEAC battle Saturday afternoon.
Six Aggies scored in double figures and the team shot 53 percent from the floor. A&T also scored 60 points in the paint and limited UMES to 37 percent shooting and 42 points in the paint.
A&T (18-5, 11-0 MEAC) got a game-high 28 points from Ta'Wuana Cook and 20 from Amber Bland.
Aggies coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs was pleased with the effort.
"I don't think there is any question we are hard to defend,'' she said. "Last year people felt like if they stopped Amber Bland we would struggle. But this year we have people who can score, people who can finish, people who can make things happen and I don't see anything wrong with that."
Four other players scored in double figures as Nancy Rembert added 16, Jalessa Sams had 15, Brittany Taylor-James had 13 and Lamona Smalley had 12. Sams had a double-double with 10 rebounds.
April McBride led UMES (14-10, 7-4) with 25 points and 14 rebounds. Tiffany Reid added 19 points while Queenique Tyler and Chena Parker posted 13 and 12 points, respectively. Tyler's 13 is a career high for the freshman.
UMES out rebounded the Aggies 46-43 and won the second-chance points 26-21.
"They are very good at executing their offense, so we didn't want them to do that,'' Cage-Bibbs said. "We wanted them to hurry up and have to make a decision sooner than they want. I thought we were a little slow in our rotations on defense in the first half, but I really thought we sped them up in the second half."
Cook broke the 100-point barrier with 1:22 left on a layup.
A&T has won 11 straight games. UMES has dropped two straight after winning seven MEAC games in a row to vault into second place.
MARYLAND-EASTERN SHORE (14-10, 7-4) -- Veltkamp 0-3 0-0 0, Packer 5-9 2-5 12, Morton 2-8 2-2 7, McBride 10-19 5-5 25, Reid 7-19 3-3 19, Adkins 0-4 3-4 3, Ayilola 0-2 0-0 0, Abdul-Bassit 0-0 0-0 0, Tyler 4-9 2-4 13, McLane 0-2 0-0 0. Totals: 28-75 17-23 79.
N.C. A&T (18-5, 11-0) -- Taylor-James 5-13 3-5 13, Smalley 6-9 0-0 12, Rembert 5-8 4-6 16, Cook 12-21 2-4 28, Bland 7-13 4-5 20, Alford 0-1 0-0 0, Waddell 0-2 0-0 0, Williams 0-1 1-1 1, Sams 6-9 3-6 15. Totals: 41-77 17-28 105.
Halftime: N.C. A&T 39-34. 3-point shots: Maryland-Eastern Shore 6-23 (Morton 1-5, McBride 0-2, Reid 2-7, Adkins 0-1, Tyler 3-6), N.C. A&T 6-17 (Taylor-James 0-4, Rembert 2-3, Cook 2-6, Bland 2-3, Sams 0-1). Fouled out--none. Rebounds--Maryland-Eastern Shore 46 (McBride 14, Team 14), N.C. A&T 43 (Sams 10). Assists--Maryland-Eastern Shore 11 (Reid 5), N.C. A&T 24 (Bland 9). Total fouls--Maryland-Eastern Shore 21, N.C. A&T 20. A--780.
Amazing part is Bland continues to score but much more balance this year....these ladies are the real deal!
