Wills sixth career double-double

Box Score
GREENSBORO, February 19, 2007 – The North Carolina A&T men’s basketball team are at their best when Steven Rush is getting good looks, when Jason Wills is slicing to the basket and grabbing rebounds and when Greg Roberts is playing tenacious defense.

Those things happened Monday night as the Aggies earned what has to be considered a huge win over Morgan State, 91-79 in overtime, as they kept their hopes alive for a first-round bye. Steven Rush led the way with 26 points on 4-for-7 shooting. He is now eight 3-pointers shy of breaking the single-season 3-pointers made record, which stands at 99.

Jason Wills had 13 points and a career-high 14 rebounds for eighth career double-double. Senior Greg Roberts, who was honored along with fellow seniors Walter Booth and Derek Crumpton on Senior Night, had seven points, eight rebounds and four blocks.

“You certainly don’t want to go into a tournament having to win four games,’’ said head coach Jerry Eaves. “We’ve improved as a road team this year. It is part of the progression we’re making as a program. We’ve got a tough challenge ahead of us, but if we hit our shots and knock down our free throws, we’ll be ok.”

What looked like it was going to be their Achilles heel turned out to be the Aggies saving grace on Monday. The Aggies went to the line 51 times and hit 35 of them, but during regulation it appeared the free would force the Aggies their fourth home game in five tries.

With the Aggies trailing 67-66 with 2:27 remaining in regulation, Roberts hit one of two free throws to tie the game at 67. Seconds later, Booth went to the line and hit just one of two to give the Aggies a 68-67 lead.  After a Jerrel Green miss, Wills came down with the rebound, but lost the ball.

Reggie Holmes came up with the loose ball, found Ronald Timus underneath for a layup and a 69-68 Bears lead with 50 seconds remaining. On the next Aggies possession, Rush earned his way to the free throw line by being held as he came off a screen. Rush, who was 9-for-9 at the time he went to the line, missed the first of a two-shot foul. He made the second to tie the game at 69-69 with 35 seconds left in regulation.

Morgan State’s attempts to win the game came up empty, forcing the Aggies into their second overtime game of the season. The Aggies took over from there. They scored the first seven points of overtime. The Bears were able to cut it to four, 78-74, with 2:27 remaining. But Rush was able to put the game away with a 3-pointer that sent the Senior Night crowd into a frenzy.

The Aggies improved to 12-15 overall and 8-7 in the MEAC. Other than Delaware State, the Aggies are no more than two games behind the six teams ahead of them in the standings.

The Aggies play their final three games on the road starting with Norfolk State on Saturday afternoon at 4 from Echols Hall. The Aggies then play at Hampton and Delaware State before the start of the MEAC Tournament.