FLORIDA A&M RALLIES TO
BEAT AGGIESKoger hits six 3-pointers
GREENSBORO, N.C., February 26, 2005 – The N.C. A&T men’s basketball team isn’t there yet. Jerry Eaves knows it. He understands it. Yet, the fact that the Aggies are so close, but still can’t quite reach the winner’s circle is agonizing to the second-year coach.
In a recurring theme at home, the Aggies held a sizeable second half lead, but could not hold on as Florida A&M came away with an 89-85 double overtime win on Saturday at Corbett Sports Center.
Senior Steven Koger led the Aggies with 25 points on 6-for-13 shooting from 3-point range. Freshmen Demetrius Guions and Jason Wills also played well. Guions finished with 17 and Wills put together his second straight 15-point, eight-rebound performance.
“It’s the same old thing that hurt us in the past,’’ said Eaves. “You can’t miss free throws in close ball games and expect to win. I’ve said it since I’ve been here, ‘You win when you deserve to win.’ “
“When don’t do the things you are supposed to do to win, you don’t.” O.J. Sumter led the Rattlers (12-13, 9-7) with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Michael Harper came off the bench to score 16 on 6-for-8 shooting.
The Aggies (5-22, 4-12 MEAC) led by 19 with 12:45 remaining in the game. The lead dwindled down to one with 48 seconds remaining as O.J. Sumter scored on a layup and completed 3-point play at the free throw line to make it 71-70.
What made the play even worse for the Aggies is that the player who committed the foul was leading scorer Sean Booker. Koger, however, answered with two free throws to push the lead to three.
Florida A&M’s Michael Sams then recovered from having his 3-point shot blocked by Wills by getting the ball back and hitting a three to send the game into overtime tied at 73.
The game would go into a second overtime as N.C. A&T freshman point guard Dejuan Morrison had two shot attempts rattle in and out of the basket as time expired in overtime No. 1.
Missed free throws derailed the Aggies chance of salvaging victory in double overtime. The Aggies went one of two from the line on two straight trips, and the Rattlers begin to answer back with field goals.
A Tony Tate jumper with 46 seconds remaining in double overtime put the Rattlers up four, 85-81. Two Tony Tate free throws 34 seconds later gave the Rattlers an 88-82 advantage.
The Aggies still held out hope as Koger hit a three from 25-feet away to cut the lead to three with five seconds remaining. But Jonathan Kelly iced the game by hitting one of two from the line.
“We lack a post presence right now, and that’s why they made the comeback,’’ Eaves said. “We kept taking perimeter shots and they got some shots in the paint and they were able to rally. But our post players are coming. Right now as coaches we have to be patient and let this program develop at the right pace.”