Wills scores 12 points, grabs nine rebounds

Box Score
ORANGEBURG, S.C., February 25, 2008 – The North Carolina A&T men’s basketball team benefited from S.C. State’s 3-pointers. The Aggies were then tormented by the Bulldogs’ threes before Jason Wills’ baseline jumper eventually gave the Aggies a 77-75 win at S-H-M Memorial Center Monday night.

With the game tied at 75, Jason Wills put the ball on the floor at the top of the key with seven seconds remaining. Wills drove by the taller Jason Johnson to the baseline, stopped and then hit a fade away jumper with two seconds remaining to give the Aggies (14-13, 8-5 MEAC) the win.

Austin Ewing led five Aggies in double figures with 13. The Aggies earned their first season sweep of S.C. State since the 1996-97 season.

“That’s what you expect of a senior with Jason’s ability,’’ said Eaves. “We like him handle the ball out there because he’s able to take bigs off the dribble and score. It was a big-time shot by a big-time player.”

The Aggies were able to get into their transition game early because of numerous missed 3-pointers by the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs were just 2-for-19 from 3-point range in the first half, which led to multiple long rebounds for the Aggies and easy shots. The Aggies shot 71 percent in the first 10 minutes of the game to take a 30-15 lead. N.C. A&T took a 35-17 lead – its biggest of the game – on an Ed Jones three with 7:45 to play.

A Jessie Burton three and layup helped the Bulldogs move to within 10 at the half, 42-32. The Bulldogs’ threes did begin to fall in the second half as they used their size and hot shooting to eventually take their first lead of the game at 56-54 on a Phillip Adams 3-pointer with 13:21 remaining. Burton had 21 points on five 3-pointrers on Monday.

“They are a well-coached team and they made the adjustment to get the ball inside on us in the second half,’’ said Eaves. “That opened up a lot of things for them on the perimeter. My guys just never got rattled tonight. They showed the toughness we’ve been looking for the last few weeks.”

Eaves watched as the Bulldogs lead grew to as much as six, 69-63, on another Burton 3-pointer at the 6:36 mark. The Aggies stayed close and pulled to within two when freshman Thomas Coleman seemed stuck with no where to go out at the 3-point arc. The 6-9 Coleman decided to put the ball on the floor split two defenders and leaped toward the basket for a dunk that made it 73-71 Bulldogs. 

Burton drove baseline to put the Bulldogs up four. After two Ewing free throws moved the Aggies to within two, Angelo Hernandez stepped in front of a Robert Baker pass for a steal. He dished it off to Ewing on the break. Ewing missed the layup, but Jones flew in for the tip-in and a tie game with 1:41 to play.

The teams traded empty possessions before S.C. State’s Jason Flagler appeared to have an open jump shot. But Jones jumped high and far enough to block Flagler’s shot, setting up Wills’ heroics.

“They’re all big right now,’’ said Eaves. “We’ve played well this season and we’re fighting to get out of the middle of the pack. We play in a tough league and tonight showed the kind of tough games we’ve been in all year.”

The Aggies can still get as high as a No. 2 seed in the MEAC Tournament by winning out and getting some help. They are definitely in good position for wrapping up one of the top five spots in the conference which will guaranteed them a first-round bye.

Jason Wills added 12 points and nine rebounds for the Aggies while Coleman and Robert Johnson had 10 points apiece as the two men were a combined 10-for-13 from the floor. The Aggies travel to Washington, D.C., to play Howard at 4 p.m.