ncataggies.com/Mensbasketball/2008-09%20articles/32AGGIESvcsu.htmCSU ELIMINATES AGGIES FROM TOURNEYWINSTON-SALEM, March 12, 2009 – The North Carolina A&T men’s basketball team had contained MEAC Player of the Year Tywain McKee for most of Thursday night’s MEAC Tournament quarterfinal game at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
But the Aggies could not stop the Coppin State guard from making a big play on the defensive end. McKee came up with steal that resulted in a crucial 3-point play with 24.2 seconds remaining in the game to help Coppin State eliminate the Aggies from MEAC Tournament 66-63.
Ed Jones led the Aggies with 22 points on 9-for-14 shooting. Thomas Coleman added 12 points and 13 rebounds to record his third career double-double. Tavarus Alston had eight points and seven assists.
“He is an excellent player as we all know,’’ said N.C. A&T coach Jerry Eaves about McKee. “We did a good job on him all night, but he came up with a play. That was a great steal.”
McKee scored 14 points and dished out eight assists on 4-for-14 shooting. His big play came when it appeared the Aggies had enough momentum on their side to win the game in the late seconds. The Aggies trailed 62-56 with 2 ½ minutes remaining. But Alston penetrated and found a wide open Robert Johnson underneath the basket for a layup. Dwane Joshua then knocked down a 3-pointer from 22-feet out to cut the Eagles lead to one, 62-61 with 1:13 to play.
McKee’s missed 3-pointer on the Eagles’ next possession had the crowd – mostly made up of Aggies – stand to their feet as the Aggies came down the floor with a chance to take the lead. But McKee stepped between an Ed Jones pass intended for Alston and raced down court for a layup. McKee was fouled and completed the 3-point play for a 65-61 lead. McKee’s steal was the Aggies 21st turnover.
“We had too many turnovers to win this game,’’ said Eaves. “I told them before the game if we could keep our turnovers to 14 or below, we would win this game. We did what we wanted to do defensively. We just didn’t cut down on the turnovers.”
N.C. A&T still had a chance to win. Coleman scored on a layup with eight seconds remaining to cut the Eagles lead to 65-63. After Coleman’s basket, the Eagles’ Vince Goldsberry was fouled. He hit just one of two free throws, giving the Aggies a chance to tie the game with a three with 5.6 seconds to play.
But Alston slipped and fell coming off of a high pick-and-roll. He was still able to get the ball to Joshua. It was too late, however, as the buzzer sounded ending the Aggies season at 16-16 before Joshua was able to get off a shot.
“That play alone didn’t cost us the game,’’ said Eaves. “All of the turnovers we committed cost us the game.”
Coppin State advances to play top seed Morgan State, a team it beat in the MEAC championship game last season.
Meanwhile, the Aggies will end a season in which they put together an eight-game winning streak, the school’s longest winning streak in 18 seasons. Eaves will lose five seniors, three of which played key contributions this season.
Eaves does have three starters returning in Alston, Coleman and Johnson. Alston was second in the league in assists this season, while Coleman led the conference in blocks. Johnson averaged in double figures, and proved to be one of the best mid-range shooters in the conference. But according to Eaves it’s not only who comes back but how they comeback.
“We have to step through the door,’’ said Eaves. “We had a great run by winning eight in a row. That’s a long way from being 1-26, so we’ve done everything except step through the door and win the tournament. It’s really gut-wrenching that we haven’t won it.
“If you don’t see Tavarus Alston, Robert Johnson, Thomas Coleman, Kam Shepherd and the other kids coming back bigger and stronger then you’ll know upfront they don’t want it,” Eaves continued. “No one is going to give us the conference. We have to earn it.”