WOEFUL FIRST HALF HURTS AGGIES

The Aggies top two leading scorers – Sean Booker and Steven Koger –

were a combined 1-for-20 from the floor

HAMPTON, Va., February 12, 2005 – N.C. A&T is in a lull it hopes to be out of when the MEAC tournament arrives in March. Hampton meanwhile looked ready for March on Saturday.

The Pirates held the Aggies to 16 first-half points on their way to a 65-47 win. Devin Green led the Pirates with 25 points and 13 rebounds, while Bruce Brown added 15 points and nine rebounds.

For the first time all season, the Aggies did not have a player score in double figures. Rechodd Carter had nine and Demetrius Guions , who made his second straight start, ended the game with eight. The Aggies top two scorers – Sean Booker and Steven Koger – were just 1-for-20 from the floor.

“All teams go through what we're going through,'' said N.C. A&T men's basketball coach Jerry Eaves said after his team lost for the second straight time by double figures. “We're a young team going against a veteran team that is well coached and well prepared, so we need to learn how play through those nights when the shots aren't falling as easy.”

The Aggies hit only six shots in the first half. None of the Aggies jump shots would drop. The Pirates meanwhile went inside to 6-foot-11 Bruce Brown , who leads the nation in field goal shooting. With Hampton up by 13-7 eight minutes into the game, Brown scored on three straight dunks during 7-2 run that put the Pirates up 20-9.

Booker connected on a 3-pointer to cut the lead to eight before it was Green's turn to take over. Green scored 10 points, including two dunks during a 16-1 run to put Hampton up 36-13. The lead would increase to 43-16 by the half.

The Aggies would get the lead down to 16 with 2:45 to play on a Gregory Davis 3-point play. N.C. A&T forced Hampton into 16 and 28 percent shooting in the second half.

“You can press all game and not have the right attitude and nothing will come of it,'' Eaves said. “The difference in the second half was attitude. We acted like we wanted the basketball in the second half and it worked.

“When we played them in our gym, we were up 15 and we controlled things because we had the right attitude. Tonight, we let them control things, and we're not experienced enough to overcome a slow start.”

The Aggies will stay in the Tidewater area to face Norfolk State on Monday at 7:30 p.m. They don't return home until February 26 when they face Florida A&M at 4 p.m.