Jones scores career-high 24 off the bench

Box Score
DOVER, Del., January 21, 2008 – Steven Rush hit two technical free throws with 1.2 seconds remaining to lead the North Carolina A&T men’s basketball team to a 63-61 win over three-time defending MEAC regular-season champion Delaware State.

The Aggies improved to 8-9 on the season and 3-2 in the MEAC. The Aggies win over the Hornets gave the Aggies their first win at Memorial Hall since 2000. It was the Aggies third straight win. Two of those wins have come on the road. Ed Jones led the Aggies with a career-high 24 points on 10-for-12 shooting. Roy Bright led the Hornets with 23 points on 5-for-13 shooting from 3-point range.

“It was a tremendous game by both teams,’’ said head coach Jerry Eaves. “Neither team blinked the entire night. Both teams kept throwing haymakers at one another. I wish my fans down at Corbett could have seen this one because big-time college basketball was played here tonight.”

Austin Ewing missed a wide open 3-pointer with 9:43 remaining in the game. The junior out of Atlanta yelled to the top of his lungs in frustration as the missed jumper made him 0-for-5 from 3-point range on the night. Eaves told him to keep shooting as he ran up the court.

Ewing took his coach’s advice with 13 seconds remaining in the game as he pulled up from NBA 3-point range and connected on his first 3-pointer of the night to give the Aggies a 61-58 lead.

“Austin knows if he doesn’t shoot the ball he’s coming out of the game,’’ said Eaves. “Austin has hit some big threes for us the last two games, and when he really gets it going he’s going to take the conference by storm because teams don’t know what a tremendous shooter he truly is.”

It appeared Ewing’s three would be the game winner after Bright missed a three from the corner with 4.2 seconds remaining. But Hornets forward Marcus Neal grabbed the long offensive rebound and fired a pass to Trevor Welcher. Welcher backed up behind the 3-point arc and launched. It dropped through the bottom of the net to tie the game at 61.

The Memorial Hall crowd went wild. Unfortunately, so did the Delaware State bench. The Hornets players ran onto the floor with 1.2 seconds left and were called for a technical foul that eventually gave the Aggies the win.

“Ed Jones finally played like the player we knew he could be when we brought him here,’’ said Eaves. “He grew up as a player tonight and that’s going to be tremendous boost for my team. He scored 24 points and had six rebounds, but he also played great defense tonight. With his height and athleticism, that’s what we’re going to need from him on a consistent basis.”

The Aggies return to Irvin-Corbett Court Saturday afternoon to renew their rivalry with Winston-Salem State at 4. It will be the Aggies and Rams first meeting in nine seasons. Tickets are still available. For more information call the Aggies ticket office at (336) 334-7749.