Cook records career-highs in points and steals

Box Score               Postgame Quotes              Postgame Notes

GREENSBORO, January 26, 2008 – If the North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team was the stock market all indicators would be positive. On Saturday, the Aggies defeated their arch-rival Winston-Salem State 71-51 at Irvin Corbett Court.

Hampton’s loss to Coppin State on Saturday left the Aggies as the only team with an undefeated record in the MEAC, while giving them a full-game lead at the top of the MEAC standings at 5-0. Their five-game winning streak is their longest in 12 seasons, and their Pack the House night drew a record crowd of 3,813 fans.

But like the stock market, a basketball season fluctuates from time to time so head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs doesn’t want to see her team get complacent with its early-season success.  

“We had a lot of turnovers, but that is about the average,’’ said Bibbs. “We can not keep playing like this. We played against a team tonight that is very, very young, but that team hustled. They really did. I really was not satisfied with the way we played. We won the game but I was not satisfied with the way we played. We play in a tough conference, so we can’t afford to let up.”

The win over the Rams came with 23 turnovers attached. It fortunately also came with a nice performance from Ta’Wuana Cook, who had struggled in her previous two games before coming through with 27 points and eight steals on Saturday, both career highs.

“I am very healthy now,’’ said Cook. “I’m glad I was able to sit out a little bit. I am back to normal.”

The Aggies will need Cook’s normalcy. Cook helped the Aggies build a late lead in the first half after the 1-14 Rams remained competitive with the Aggies throughout the first half. A Corbin Bradford 3-pointer pulled the Rams to within three, 29-26. Bland drove to the basket after Bradford’s shot and scored. Cook then intercepted the ensuing in-bound pass and scored on a layup to give the Aggies a 33-26 halftime lead.

Cook then opened the second half with back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Aggies their biggest lead of the night at 39-27. Bland followed with another three to give the Aggies all the cushion they would need the rest of the way. The Aggies would go on to lead by as many as 24 in the second half, but Bibbs didn’t like the way her team executed.

“They played us in a 2-3 zone all night and it was wide open,’’ said Bibbs. “You could have driven a truck through it. But we wanted to settle for jump shots. But that goes back to the mental part of the game, understanding what the defense is giving you.  When we penetrated tonight we got to the line. We have to be a smarter basketball team.”

Bland added 15 points for the Aggies who improved to 12-5. Bradford led the Rams with 20 points. The Aggies return to conference play Monday night at 6 when they face S.C. State at Irvin-Corbett Court.