On Monday, night, the N.C.A&T women’s basketball team improved to 8-0 in the conference with a 67-56 victory over Morgan State.

Freshman Amber Calvin led the Aggies with 20 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Senior Lamona Smalley and Freshman Nikia Gorham each recorded double-doubles; Smalley had 12 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and Gorham added 14 points and 10 rebounds.

“She doesn’t care about scoring, she wants to assist,” said N.C. A&T head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs when asked about the play of Calvin. “She’s making a great point guard, and doing this as a freshman is the sign of a great point guard”.

Corin Adams led Morgan State with 16 points and seven rebounds. Georgien Williams added 12 points for the Bears. Early in the first half the Aggies and the Bears were scoring point for point before the Aggies went on a 10-2 run to go up 14-6.

It wouldn’t be long until the Bears were back on the Aggies’ heels.

Two 3-pointers quickly got them back in the game; the Bears cut the lead to 16-14. To end the first half A&T outscored Morgan State 15-to-6 to take a 31-20 lead at the half.

In the second half the Bears played more aggressively and every time it seemed that the Aggies were going to pull away Morgan state cut into their lead. A 3-pointer by Cook and a block by Smalley with 4:35 to play gave the Aggies the momentum they needed to beat the Bears 67-56. The Aggies out-rebounded Morgan State 54-to-39. 

“I told them that the key to winning a championship is to rebound the basketball,” said Cage-Bibbs on her team’s rebounding.

The Aggies faced Coppin State on Sunday afternoon, defeating them 79-56. The game was scheduled to be played Saturday but due to inclement weather, it was played on Sunday.

Ta’Wuana Cook and Amber Calvin led the Aggies both scoring 17 points apiece. Tyronnica Alford scored 12 and Tierra Thomas added 11 points for the Aggies. Jeanine Manley led Coppin State with 12 points and Crystal Whittington recorded nine points and 10 rebounds for the Coppin State Eagles.

The Aggies fell behind 3-9 early in the game, but with four 3-pointers, all made by Calvin, the Aggies led the Eagles 30-21. Coppin State cut into the Aggies lead and went into the half only down by two, 33-31.

To open the second half the Aggies went on a 17-2 run to lead the Eagles 50-33.

The Eagles would not get any closer than 15 points for the rest of the game.

A&T outscored the Eagles 46-25 in the second half to gain a 79-56 victory.   

• Lauren Morgan