The N.C. A&T women’s basketball coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs continued her pursuit of 500 career victories with a 66-45 win over the North Carolina Central University Eagles (3-23, 1-12) on Saturday.
If Cage-Bibbs surpasses 500, she will be the only head coach to achieve such a major accomplishment at a Division 1 HBCU. Currently at 498, Cage-Bibbs is only two wins away from reaching this milestone
The majority of the 4,447 spectators who packed Corbett Sports Center were Aggies which helped create a hostile environment for the Eagles, providing a serious home-court advantage.
The A&T women were assertive in executing their game plan and wasted no time setting the tone early. The crowd roared after a pinpoint pass by guard JaQuayla Berry led to an easy layup for forward Tiffanie Adair on the first possession of the game.
Close-range layups and trips to the free throw line seemed to be the theme early, as both served as the initial building blocks allowing A&T to maintain a marginal lead for the rest of the game.
The combination of A&T’s Adair, Berry, and guard Amber Calvin was too much for the Eagles to contain as the youthful trio compiled 51 of A&T’s 65 points.
At 5’11, Berry, a 2010-2011 ALL-MEAC selection, was assertive in attacking the offensive and defensive glass as she finished the game with a total of 16 rebounds. Berry is currently the 4th leading defensive rebounder in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
Berry, 9th in points per game in the MEAC, finished with 23 points, going 7 of 17 from the field, converting on 9 of 11 free throw attempts. Berry finished the game with numbers similar to her 28-point 14-rebound performance at NCCU on Dec. 3, 2011.
A redshirt sophomore, Calvin missed last year’s Aggie-Eagle classic due to a knee injury that sidelined her indefinitely.
Calvin seized the moment operating as A&T’s all-around floor general, finishing with 16 points, 3 assists, and 5 rebounds. Calvin found a groove shooting from the outside early, making 3 3-pointers in the first half.
A&T redshirt freshman forward Adair anchored the Aggies inside defense, snatching 10 rebounds, while contributing with 12 points from 6 of 10 shooting on the offensive end.
- Kayln Hoyle, contributor