Aggies win first regular-season title since 1989-90

Box Score
WASHINGTON, D.C., MARCH 1, 2008 – There are so many goals still remaining for the North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team in 2008. Therefore, despite the team solidifying its first MEAC regular-season championship with a 84-71 win over Howard at Burr Gymnasium, Bibbs was quick to run down the things that can’t happen if the Aggies want to accomplish those goals.

“I’m just happy right now,’’ said Bibbs. “We didn’t play that well, but we have a regular-season championship and no one can take that from us.”

The Aggies were led by Amber Bland who finished with 24 points and nine rebounds. With her performance she became the fastest player in Aggies history to record 1,000 points for a career, accomplishing the feat 57 games, eight games faster than all-time leading scorer Malveata Johnson. Brittanie Taylor-James chipped in with 16 points and six rebounds and Jalessa Sams recorded her third double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

But not everything was rosy for the Aggies. The Aggies turned the ball over 29 times, and they struggled to pull away from a Howard team that fell to 3-23 on Saturday.

“The great thing about today is that we didn’t have to worry about what other teams in our league were doing,’’ said Bibbs. “All we needed to do was win and we had the championship. But we can’t expect to go into a tournament situation and turn the ball over 29 times and expect there is not a team out there that will make us pay for it. We sell ourselves short if we let these ladies believe it ends with winning the regular season.”

The Aggies are still trying to finish the conference season undefeated, which would make them the first team in the program’s history to do so. They are also after their first MEAC Tournament championship since 1994, which would put them in the NCAA Tournament.

After the 15-minute mark of the second half the Bison was not a threat to end the Aggies aspirations of finishing undefeated in the conference. Sams pulled up for a jump shot on a fastbreak and knocked it down to give the Aggies a 56-34 lead, the Aggies biggest of the game.

Before that moment, however, the Bison had the Aggies off-balance with its pressure defense. A Taylor-James turnover at the end of the first half led to a Josephine Young layup that pulled the Bison to within four at halftime, 32-28. The Aggies opened the half with one of their customary runs assisted by the Bison’s nine turnovers in the first five minutes of the half. Those turnovers helped the Aggies go on a 24-6 run to open the half as Bland scored eight points during the run.

“I think the start of the second half was the only time we really had success with our press,’’ said Bibbs. “I’m thankful for that because other than they dribble past our pressure which wasn’t as aggressive as it has been.  That stretch helped us get a lead. We came into today’s game leading the nation and steals but really didn’t play that same style of defense today.”

The Bison was led by Asha Santee who finished with 28 points on 12-for-17 shooting. The Aggies improved to 22-5 overall and 14-0 in the conference. They tied the school record for wins and as a team they have already broken team records for steals and assists in a season.

The Aggies, who have won 15 straight, will try to keep the streak going at Hampton on Monday. Game time is 5:30 p.m.