Taylor-James scored 18 and grabs nine boards

Box Score
AUBURN, Ala., December 3, 2008 – The North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team is used to causing chaos for opponents with its relentless pressure defense.

The No. 13 Auburn Tigers remained calm amid the Aggies pressure and thus remained undefeated in a 95-74 win over N.C. A&T Wednesday night at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum. Brittanie Taylor-James led the Aggies with 18 points and nine rebounds. Jaleesa Sams added 15 points and Lamona Smalley added 11 points and seven rebounds.

The Tigers were led by honorable mention All-American DeWanna Bonner’s 26 points and 11 rebounds on 9-for-9 shooting from the free throw line.

“We played well throughout the night,’’ said head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs. “But you have to give Auburn credit, they did a good job of sticking to their game plan and executed the way they needed to. They’re a good team.”

The Tigers committed just seven turnovers on the night. It was the first time in 39 games the Aggies failed to force a team to commit at least 10 turnovers with the last time occurring on March 8, 2007 against Florida A&M. It was just the third time in the Bibbs era her team didn’t force at least 10 turnovers.

The Aggies didn’t do a bad job of taking care of the basketball. The Aggies committed nine first half turnovers which was enhanced by the Aggies shooting 54.8 percent from the floor in the first half. The hot shooting helped the Aggies remain close in the first half as the two teams combined for 87 first half points with the Tigers taking a 45-42 halftime lead.

The Aggies had six different players score at least six points in the first half led by Sams’ eight. The Tigers began to pull away six minutes into the second half. A 3-point play by Auburn’s Trevesha Jackson gave the Tigers a 61-50 lead. Jackson followed her 3-point play with a layup that gave the Tigers their biggest lead of the game.

The Aggies were not able to work the lead under 10 again. A Sherrell Hobbs 3-pointer with 6:25 remaining gave the Tigers a comfortable 78-61 lead.

The Aggies drop to 3-3 on the season. N.C. A&T will open its conference season against Norfolk State Saturday at 2 p.m., from Corbett Sports Center. The Aggies will then take a two-week layoff before taking on Campbell University in Buies Creek.