The Aggies fell to the Eagles of NCCU 47-51, coming off their three game road trip.
The Aggies fell to the Eagles of NCCU 47-51, coming off their three game road trip.
The inability to deliver at the foul line was a major factor in this game. In the first half, the Aggies did not make a single free throw. In the second half, the Aggies shot 40 percent from the free throw line. Overall, the Aggies shot 31 percent from the foul line while the Eagles shot 90 percent. “You can’t win if you don’t shoot free throws,” said head coach Cy Alexander.
According to Alexander, the morning of this rivalry match up, the Aggies spent an hour working on their free throws. It is further concerning to Alexander that the players he wanted on the free throw line were at the line but did not deliver. Alexander was concerned that the upperclassmen and team leaders such as senior forward Adrian Powell, senior guard Jean Louisme and junior guard Lamont Middleton. “If we would’ve made at least half our free throws we would’ve won the game,” said junior guard Jeremy Underwood.
Another factor that seemed to play a role in this tough loss was the crowd’s hectic atmosphere. According to Alexander, the team cannot fold under a wild atmosphere, especially when some of the players on the court are seniors. “You’ve been here done that, ain’t nothing new,” said Alexander.
In the first half, the Aggies got off to a good start and were able to sustain a nine-point lead over the Eagles while making stops on the defensive side of the ball as well. “We played hard, we rebounded, we played defense,” said Underwood. With a routine shot from beyond the arch by Powell, a dunk from freshman Bruce Beckford, and a layup from Underwood, the Aggies were able to field a 7-0 run which led to the Aggies advancing over N.C. Central by 10 points.
However, the Eagles fought back and were able to cut the Aggies lead down to only three points. The first half ended with the Aggies leading 30-27 and outscoring Central 14-2 in the paint.
In the second half, the Aggies tried to strengthen their lead over the Eagles but were not able to. N.C. Central started to take control of the game and took a lead that they were able to maintain throughout the duration of the game. N.C. Central’s defense and offensive effectiveness were successful in stopping the Aggies in the final half.
Powell was one of the leading scorers for the Aggies, racking up 10 points and getting 6 rebounds. Beckford also scored 10 points to add to this three steals and four rebounds. Underwood was the team’s leading scorer with 11 points and four assists.
Next, the Aggies will face S.C. State March. 2 in Corbett Sports Arena.
Email us [email protected] and follow us on Twitter @TheATRegister
- Uniqua Quillins, Register Reporter