Box Score
GREENSBORO, November 24, 2007 -- The North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team shot just 36.4 percent from the field and hit only 3 of 16 3-pointers against Boston University.

It didn’t matter because the Aggies played defense in their 62-54 win over the Terriers in the championship game of the UNC Greensboro Thanksgiving Tournament at Fleming Gymnasium. Junior guard Amber Bland led the Aggies with 20 points and a career-high 12 rebounds to register her third career double-double.

Bland’s performance helped her win Tournament MVP honors. Ta’Wuana Cook also earned all-tournament honors, while Lamona Smalley chipped in with nine points and eight rebounds on Saturday.

“We’re not going to play great offensively every night,’’ said head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs. “When you’re not shooting well you need to bear down with defense. I believe you can play great defense every night. You can score points through playing great defense.”

The Aggies played great defense throughout the tournament. They forced UNC Asheville into 34 turnovers on Saturday. In the first half of Saturday’s game against the Terriers, Boston shot just 10 percent from the floor on three first-half field goals.

The Terriers were able to find their way to the basket against the Aggies defense in the second half. The Terriers cut the Aggies 12-point halftime lead to four, 44-40, with 7:58 to play. But Smalley took a perfect bounce pass from Tyronnica Alford and scored. She was fouled on the play and completed the 3-point play to put the Aggies ahead by seven.

The Aggies increased their lead back to double figures again three minutes later, but the Terriers made another run. Two Jesyka Burks-Wiley free throws put the Terries down 53-50 with 2:16 to play. It was the closest the Terriers had been since the 14:30 mark of the first half.

Burks-Wiley had a chance to cut it to one, but her shot rimmed out. After Alford and Brittanie Taylor-James hit one free throw apiece, the Aggies sealed the game with more defense. Freshman Jalessa Sams forced Aly Hinton into a five-second violation with 1:37 to play. The Terriers never seriously threatened again.

Bibbs and the Aggies have a lot to be thankful for during the Thanksgiving Tournament. On Friday, Bibbs earned her 400^th career win. The Aggies by far proved themselves to be the best team at the event by trailing for only four minutes and six seconds throughout the entire two-day tournament.

“I’m just so proud for my ladies,’’ said Bibbs. “We have a long way to go to reach our potential. But I’m happy we had an opportunity to come here and prove we belong. We’re starting to get it. They’re starting to understand more and more. We wanted to come here and confuse people with our defense. And these young ladies executed. I’m elated about that.”