Saturday, November 25
North Carolina A&T vs. Longwood, 1 p.m., Consolation Game of the UNCG Thanksgiving Tournament

Bland plays 40 minutes, scores 30 to lead Aggies

Box Score
GREENSBORO, N.C., November 24, 2006 – Between the 9:10 mark of the first half and the 11:56 mark of the second half, the North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team hit an offensive slow down it could never overcome in a 79-64 loss to Providence in the UNC-Greensboro Thanksgiving Tournament at Fleming Gym on Friday afternoon.

The rest of the day, the Aggies gave the Friars of the Big East all they wanted with a pesky defense and an explosive offensive weapon in sophomore Amber Bland. Bland scored a season-high 30 points and had six rebounds, while playing a season-high 40 minutes. Freshman center Lonise Coulter added 15 points and 11 rebounds.

“There was a point in the first half when we couldn’t get into a rhythm offensively, and they started beating us down the floor in transition,’’ said head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs. “Sometimes when fatigue sets in you’re not as sharp. We have to continue to develop our reserves so that our starters can rest more.”  

Freshman forward Lamona Smalley hit two free throws with 9:10 remaining in the first half to move the Aggies to within five at 23-18. After Smalley’s free throws the Aggies went nearly six minutes before they scored their next points, and they went a little more than eight minutes between field goals.

Coulter’s short jumper in the paint with 3:23 remaining in the first half ended both droughts, but the Aggies went from being down five to being down 15. The Fryers went on to shoot 55 percent in the first half as they took a 42-28 halftime lead.

The Fryers hot shooting continued into the second half as they hit nine of their first 13 second-half field goals, including a stretch of hitting nine straight field goals to take a 61-37 lead with 11:56 remaining in the game.

Bland’s 3-pointer 44 seconds later ignited a 10-0 run that helped the Aggies get within 14 at 61-47 with 9:29 remaining. The Fryers’ lead was reduced to as many as 11 before a crucial turnover turned the tide back in the Fryers favor as they increased their lead back to 20-plus  again with five minutes remaining.

“There are not too many teams in the country you can play, fall behind by 20 and then start playing the way you’re supposed to play and expect to win,’’ said Bibbs, whose team out-rebounded the Friars, while taking down a season-high 22 offensive rebounds. “There were some things we did well tonight. I liked our effort on the boards, but we have to convert those second chances into points.”