Taylor-James scores 31 on Senior Night

Box Score
GREENSBORO, March 2, 2009 – The North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team took a step closer in getting prepared for the March 9-14 MEAC Tournament in Winston-Salem by doing some things it has never done.

For the first time since she first suited up as an Aggie in 2006, N.C. A&T had to play nearly an entire game without star guard Amber Bland. And for the first time since their two-year run as MEAC regular-season champions, a conference opponent forced the Aggies into overtime in a regular-season game.

Although it was touch-and-go for a while, the Aggies passed both examinations as they defeated the Hampton Pirates 81-72 in overtime without the services of Bland, the school’s second all-time leading scorer. The win was especially gratifying and emotional for Bland, Brittanie Taylor-James and Ahmad Williams as all three seniors played their final game in Corbett Sports Center.

Taylor-James, reigning MEAC Player of the Week, led all scorers with 31 points. Sophomore Jaleesa Sams had 19 points and five steals, and junior Lamona Smalley added 11 points and nine rebounds. The three Aggie seniors leave with a 21-game home winning streak intact. It is the fourth longest home winning streak in the nation.

Williams and Taylor-James did play the game without their fellow senior because she sustained a knee injury against Howard on Saturday. Bland did keep her streak of consecutive games played alive at 91 as she limped on to the court as her named was announced as a starter.

In fact, the Aggies have played 91 games over Bland’s three-year career. Bland has started all 91 of them. But seven seconds into the game, N.C. A&T head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs called timeout to remove her standout guard.

“To beat a team like Hampton – and Hampton is a very good team – without an Amber Bland was very tough,” said Bland. “I know it was tough for these seniors to play their last home game without her. Amber can not only score the basketball, but she is a really good defender. We’re going to need her healthy for the tournament. But it was good to see the ladies step up and get a win without her.”

The Lady Aggies look just fine minus Bland in the first half. Behind 20 first-half points from Taylor-James, the Aggies held a 44-26 lead at halftime. A Melanie Warner offensive foul turned into a Ta’Wuana Cook runner that gave the Aggies a 50-34 lead with 15:17 remaining. But the Aggies went nearly five minutes without scoring, allowing the Pirates to go on a 16-0 run to tie the game.

“I knew Hampton would make a run,’’ said Bibbs. “They are a good come-from-behind team. This team withstood the test. I’m proud of my team because they hung tough. They didn’t fold.”

Despite the spurt, the Aggies would not give up the lead and led by seven, 65-58, after Sams completed a drive to the basket that resulted in a 3-point play with 2:42 remaining in regulation. Hampton guard Mikki Clayton responded by hitting a 3-pointer to trim the lead to four. After a Taylor-James three rolled around the rim and spun out, Jerika Jenkins drove to the basket to put Hampton down 65-63 with 1:26 to play.

The teams would trade free throws, which led to another Jenkins tough drive. She battled her way into the lane and threw up a shot over two Aggie defenders to send the game into overtime tied at 66.

The Pirates and the Aggies played evenly over the first four minutes of overtime, before a Clayton turnover gave the Aggies the edge they needed. Cook capitalized on the turnover by going to the basket, getting bumped by Jenkins and throwing up a tough shot that went through the basket for a score. Cook completed the 3-point play for a 76-72 Aggies lead. Another Pirates turnover led to two free throws by Smalley that sealed the win for the Aggies with 45 seconds remaining.

Bibbs improved to 8-1 against Hampton, a place where she spent seven seasons and won three championships. But Bibbs has had to defeat the Pirates in overtime in two out of the last three matchups, including last season’s MEAC Tournament semifinal game. Therefore, she knows the value of making sure Bland is healthy. The Aggies close out the regular-season at Norfolk State on Thursday.

“It really hurt me not to be able to play this game,’’ said Bland. “ But my teammates told me they rather have me healthy for the tournament. That meant a lot to me, and there was no way I was going to be selfish and play on my senior day when I wasn’t 100 percent. I had faith in them.”