EAST GREENSBORO (November 13, 2018) – North Carolina A&T was without one of their top scorers from the start Tuesday evening, but it did not become telling until the middle of the game. Akron got 18 points from one of their top scorers in Megan Sefick to hand the Aggies their second straight loss at home, 49-36 at Corbett Sports Center.
Without junior guard Cinia McCray, who scored 14 points in the Aggies opener against Morehead State and who knocked down 43 3-pointers a year ago, the Aggies shot 29.4 percent from the floor and were 3-for-14 from 3-point range.
Despite that, the Aggies led 24-22 at halftime. But the Aggies had a rough third quarter. Junior C'coriea Foy opened the quarter with a 3-pointer to give the Aggies a 27-22 lead. It was the only three points the Aggies scored in the third. They shot 1-for-12 from the floor and were outscored 17-3 over the 10-minute period.
Sefick's 3-pointer with 6:51 remaining in the third quarter gave the Zips a 28-27 lead. N.C. A&T's shooting woes made it so that the Zips would never trail again. By the time the Aggies scored again it was nine seconds into the fourth quarter as junior center Alexus Lessears took a pass from junior Mikaya Wilson in the post and scored on a difficult turnaround to bring the Aggies to within 10, 39-29. It ended a 17-0 run for the Zips.
It did not end the Aggies troubles, however. N.C. A&T went on another three-plus minute span without a point. When Foy hit two free throws with 6:39 to play in the game, the Aggies deficit had grown to 12m, 43-31. Freshman Charme Lilly's 3-pointer did cut the Zips lead to 43-34 30 seconds later, but the Zips lead went back to 15 on six straight points from Haliegh Reinoehl.
Reinoehl added 13 points and five rebounds for the Zips. Foy scored a team-high 14 points for N.C. A&T. Senior Charnise Tyler was the Aggies top rebounder with seven.
For the second straight game, the Aggies (0-2) got off to a good start. They led 4-0 and did trail until there was 2:44 remaining in the first quarter as Alyssa Clay hit a 3-pointer for the Zips to give them a 9-8 lead. The Aggies trailed by as many as seven in the first half but regained the lead again on a 3-pointer by Foy.
Akron took the lead again on two Reinoehl free throws before a driving layup from Wilson and a short jump shot from Tyler gave the Aggies their halftime lead. N.C. A&T will play their third straight home game and will be looking for their first win of the season when they host traditional rival Winston-Salem State 5:30 p.m., Friday at Corbett.
