Aggies win seventh straight home game

 Box Score
GREENSBORO, January 29, 2007 – All the numbers sound impressive. With North Carolina A&T’s 91-69 win over Hampton Monday, the Aggies are 12-8 overall and 7-2 in the MEAC. Ta’Wuana “Tweet” Cook led the way with 23 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Amber Bland finished with 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

 The win gives the Aggies the most wins they have had since the 1995-96 season when they won 11. The margin of victory was the largest against Hampton since the Pirates joined the conference in 1995-96. Bibbs, who coached the Pirates for seven seasons, won her 392nd career game. But there is only one number that matters to Bibbs.

 “I don’t get caught up in the numbers,’’ said head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs. “The only number I’m concerned with is one. One will be the number of championships this team will have at A&T if we win it this year. I’m trying to get these young ladies focused in on winning a championship.”

 N.C. A&T has certainly been in championship form over the last two games. After blowing out Norfolk State by 28 on Saturday, the Aggies took a 56-34 halftime lead over Hampton thanks to a 3-point buzzer-beater by Cook.

 The Pirates worked the lead to fewer than 20 early in the second half as Rachel Butler’s two free throws and Chinyere Ukoh’s layup cut the lead to 17. The Aggies quickly responded with five quick points highlighted by Bland’s 3-pointer with 12:38 remaining to give N.C. A&T a 70-49 lead.

 The Pirates (9-9, 5-4) never threatened again and trailed by as many as 28 in the second half. After losing 16 straight to the Pirates, the Aggies have now won the last three matchups. Butler led the Pirates with 16, while Ukoh added 13 rebounds – 10 on the offensive end.

 “We won tonight because the ladies come to play,’’ said Bibbs “They executed the game plan, we hit our free throws and we hit our shots. When we do those things we’re very good.”

 The Aggies are now in a second-place tie with the Florida A&M Rattlers. They are still two games behind first-place Coppin State, who defeated Maryland-Eastern Shore Monday night.  The Aggies travel to Princess Anne, Md., to play UMES on Saturday at 2 p.m.