Nelson finishes with season-high 17 points

Box Score
GREENSBORO, March 6, 2008 – The North Carolina A&T men’s basketball team decided to conduct its Senior Night before the final home game because the final home game, which was Thursday night, fell during North Carolina A&T’s spring break. And head coach Jerry Eaves wanted to make sure his seven seniors could celebrate their Senior Night in front of the Aggies student body.

Despite Thursday night’s final home game at Irvin-Corbett Court not officially being Senior Night, Eaves’ seniors decided to celebrate the night like it was regardless as perhaps the most accomplished senior made the most emphatic play of the night to lead the Aggies to a huge 72-70 win over Norfolk State.

Senior Jason Wills gave Aggie fans one more look at his incredible hops they have become so accustomed to marveling at when he drove down the middle of the lane with 6.2 seconds remaining and elevated high above the rim for a powerful slam dunk that gave the Aggies a first-round bye in next week’s MEAC Tournament held in Raleigh.

“Nobody realizes it, but tonight was a playoff game for us," said senior guard Austin Ewing. "And we won a playoff game against a team that was No. 2 and is now No. 3, I guess. We're ready for the tournament. We feel like we’ve already got our first tournament game out of the way. Other teams didn’t have on the line what we had on the line tonight."

An Aggies lost would have placed them into the No. 6 seed for the MEAC Tournament, which would have meant they would have had to win four games instead of three to advance to the NCAA Tournament. But the win puts the Aggies (15-15, 9-7) into fifth place where they will play the No.4 seed Delaware State Thursday night at 8 from the RBC Center.

“We needed that game going into the tournament,’’ said Eaves. “As everyone knows if we’re hitting shots, we’re capable of winning six or seven games in a row. That’s why we like our chances in the tournament.”

Ewing was instrumental in making Wills’ game-winning play. After an Aggies timeout, Eaves said he called a play his team is very familiar with that forces opponents to make a choice – stay with an athletic Wills who can put the ball on the floor or defend a lethal 3-point shooter in Steven Rush.

Ewing started the play by dribbling near the top of the key before handing the ball off to Wills. On the pick-and-roll, Ewing’s defender stayed with him. Wills’ man switched onto Ewing, clearing the lane for a Wills drive. Rush’s defender decided to stay with the 3-point shooting senior, therefore Wills had the opportunity to put one more memorable dunk in the mind of Aggie fans.  

"It's just a decision I have to make: whether to find an open man or go to the basket myself," Wills said. "I saw a wide-open lane and took my opportunity."

Just a minute earlier, it didn’t look like heroics were going to be needed. The Aggies held a 69-62 lead with a little more than a minute remaining. But back-to-back threes coupled with Rush surprisingly missing two free throws helped the Spartans cut the lead to one, 69-68 with 42 seconds remaining. Wills hit one of two free throws to put the Aggies up two.

Norfolk State’s Michael Deloach penetrated to the basket on the Spartans next possession and shot a runner in the lane. He missed but Brandon Monroe followed the miss with a tip-in to tie the game at 70 with 25 seconds remaining, which led to Wills’ closing slam.

“Going in needing a must win took the pressure off of this being my last home game,’’ said Wills. “We’re going into the tournament knowing we don’t have to play a play-in game which is big.”

Wills finished with 14 points and five rebounds. His other senior teammates also played well. Senior Glenn Nelson had a season-high 17, Rush hit three 3-pointers and senior Angelo Hernandez had nine points, 10 rebounds and four assists.

The Aggies road to the championship game includes facing a team who has won three out of the last four MEAC regular-season titles in Delaware State. If they fortunate to beat the Hornets, a possible semifinal match-up could pit them against regular-season champion Morgan State.