Taylor-James earns first career double-double

Box Score               Postgame Quotes
GREENSBORO, January 28, 2008 – The bulls-eye is now squarely on the North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team’s back after its 85-66 win over S.C. State Monday night at Irvin-Corbett Court.

The Aggies improved to 13-5 overall and 6-0 in the conference after winning their sixth straight – their longest winning streak in 14 seasons. Brittanie Taylor-James scored 15 points and grabbled 11 rebounds and Ta’Wuana Cook added 22 points following a day in which she was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Week.

“We are in a position right now where everyone we play is going to give us their best game,’’ said Bibbs. “Everybody wants to be the first team to knock us off, so we’re going to get everybody’s best shot.

I thought when they made their push in the first half; we did a good job of holding them off even though our defense was not as good as we wanted it to be. They scored 36 points in the first half; I thought that was too many.”

With the Aggies leading 20-15, Cook sparked a 10-2 Aggies run by hitting a three from the corner. Amber Bland followed by taking pass from Lamona Smalley, stepped behind the 3-point line hit another Aggies three. Taryn Russ ended the run with a jump shot that gave the Aggies a 30-17 lead with 9:25 to remaining in the first half.

The Bulldogs kept coming at the Aggies, however. They were able to get the lead to four, 39-35 with four minutes to play in the first half.  But the Aggies ended the half on a 12-1 run, charged by eight points from Cook, who is a combined 16-for-29 from the field and 9-for-20 from 3-point range in her last two games.

The Aggies never allowed lead to dip below double figures again. “We didn’t have 20 or more turnovers tonight,’’ said Bibbs, whose team turned it over 17 times. “We kept our turnovers under 20 and we shot 50 percent from the floor. I’m happy about that.  It means we’re getting better.”

All five Aggie starters scored in double figures. Marie Reed led the Bulldogs with 27 points on 10-for-13 shooting. The Aggies host Howard on Saturday at 2 p.m., from Corbett Sports Center.

“I am very proud of this team,’’ said Bibbs. “We are six and zero right now and I know we’ve got a long way to go and we really have some tough teams coming up, real tough. We can’t afford to relax.”