Box Score
ELON, N.C., November 19, 2007 – There is one obvious observation about the 20007-2008 North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team that can’t be denied thus far this season. The Aggies are a second half team.

Ta’Wuana Cook scored 16 points and Amber Bland added 10 points and eight rebounds as the North Carolina A&T overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat Elon University 53-46. In all three games the Aggies have played this season, they have outscored their opponents in the second half. This season the Aggies have outscored their opponents 114-64.

The Lady Aggies (2-1) allowed only 15 points to the Phoenix and held them to 30 percent shooting in the second half while forcing 16 turnovers.

“We need to put together a full game, there is no question about that,’’ said N.C. A&T head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs. “We played a good team tonight. They executed well. The emphasis they gave in the second half, they should have had in the first half.  “We don’t like to be down at the half and have to fight back like that in the second half.”

The win gave Bibbs her 399^th career victory, putting her one win shy of becoming the 38^th coach in NCAA history to win 400 career games. It would make her only the second coach to earn the milestone while coach exclusively at historically black universities.

“I’ve always said it would be a nice accomplishment,’’ said Bibbs. “But you win ballgames to win championships. That’s where my focus is. I want these players to strive to win a championship. I want that for this team.”

Bibbs’ Aggies were somewhat out of sync in the first half, shooting 33 percent from the field and turning the ball over 16 times.  However, they remained close throughout the first half.  Jaleesa Sams tied the game at 21 with 5:47 left but the Phoenix closed the half on a 10-0 run to take a 31-21 halftime lead.

The Phoenix continued that run into the second half by scoring the first second-half field goal. Then in a scene reminiscent to what they did to Stetson 10 days when they outscored the Hatters 24-0 over the first 6 ½ minutes of the second half, the Aggies caught second-half fire. The Aggies outscored the Phoenix 15-0 over the next eight minutes of the second half to take a 36-33 lead with 11:01 remaining in the second half.  

The Phoenix fought back to regain the lead on a Tiffany Davis 3-pointer that gave the Phoenix a 38-37 lead. But Cook answered with a 3-point play to give the Aggies a 40-38 lead with 8:20 to play. The Aggies never trailed again as the Phoenix struggled to score against relentless Aggies defense.

The Aggies held the Phoenix to 30.4 percent shooting. Lamona Smalley helped ice the game with a jump shot that gave the Aggies 50-44 lead with 1:29 to play. Tierra Bumbrey had 13 points and  Davis added 10 points to lead the Phoenix (2-3).

Coach Cage-Bibbs will go for 400^th career victory 3 p.m., Friday against UNC Ashville at the UNC Greensboro Thanksgiving Tournament at Fleming Gymnasium.