Box Score
Rebels outscore Aggies 53-30 in the second half

ROCK HILL, S.C., November 15, 2008 – The North Carolina A&T women’s basketball wants to be regarded as one of the better teams in not only the MEAC but the nation. Following the Aggies season-opening 80-64 loss to Ole Miss, head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs explained to her team exactly what it will take to earn such consideration. Forty minutes.

Brittanie Taylor-James led the Aggies with 18 points and six rebounds on 8-for-8 shooting free throw line. Jaleesa Sams chipped in with 10 points for the Aggies who were playing in the first game of the Winthrop Tournament being played at the Winthrop Coliseum.

“I thought we played well today, but not well enough to win,’’ said Bibbs. “We executed in the first half, but I told the ladies it is all about that will to win. This game has been 40 minutes as far as I can remember and that’s the way you have to approach it.

You have to sustain that intensity for 40 minutes. We knew they would come at us aggressively in the second half. We have to learn to play with that same urgency no matter what the score is.”

Similar to other upset bids during the Bibbs era at N.C. A&T, the Aggies played an inspired first half. The Aggies and the Rebels went back-and-forth for most of the first half. The two teams produced six times until the two-minute mark of the first half.

A Taylor-James jumper gave the Aggies a 28-24 lead with 1:39 remaining in the first half. A three-point play by Ole Miss’ Katorra Lewis cut the lead to one. But baskets by Lamona Smalley, Ta’Wuana Cook and Tyronnica Alford gave the Aggies a 34-27 halftime lead.

But Ole Miss began to establish a presence in the paint. They out-rebounded the Aggies 29-14 in the second half and 50-32 for the game. The Rebels also had 26-14 advantage in points in the paint in the second half. They used it to take a 51-48 lead with nine minutes remaining.

But preseason MEAC Player of the Year Amber Bland, who played sparingly because of foul trouble, hit a three to tie the game at 51. But the Rebels went on an 11-1 run capped off by an Elizabeth Robertson 3-pointer to give the Rebels a 52-42 advantage with six minutes to play. The Aggies never got any closer to nine after the Rebels run.

“I thought foul trouble played a factor,’’ said Bibbs, who saw three starters earn four fouls, while top reserve Lamona Smalley fouled out.

“But I really think the biggest thing was the fact that we were really out-rebounded,’’ Bibbs continued. “We have to get our hands on the ball so we can have the possessions needed to win the game.”

The Aggies will play in the tournament’s consolation game against host Winthrop at 1 p.m., on Sunday.