Jan. 7, 2012

Box Score / Post-Game with Coach Blair

By Dan Ryan
B-CUAthletics.com

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Bethune-Cookman landed the first punch, but North Carolina A&T counterpunched and eventually landed a knockout blow as the Lady Aggies posted a 69-54 victory over the Lady Wildcats in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game in the Corbett Center.

JaQuayla Berry had a 20-10 double-double while Amber Calvin and Nakia Gorham each added 14 points as North Carolina A&T (7-8 overall, 2-0 MEAC) pulled away from a 28-26 game early in the second half.

B-CU (3-11,0-2) got off to a promising start, taking leads of 12-6 and 14-8 before North Carolina A&T kept the Lady Wildcats scoreless for nearly five minutes to take a 22-14 lead behind four first-half three-pointers from Calvin.

“We punched hard at them and got the lead,” said B-CU coach Vanessa Blair. “But the size of North Carolina A&T overtook us in the post and we weren't able to box out and get the first rebound.”

The Lady Aggies outrebounded B-CU 53-42 and got to the free throw line 38 times to B-CU's 21.

Jasmine Elum kept B-CU in the game in the first half by going 5-7 from the field for 13 of her game-high 22. B-CU closed it to 28-24 at halftime.

“We understood that North Carolina A&T was going to trap and press the ball,” Blair said. "We were able to swing the ball and feed it to Jasmine for the open shot.”

Gorham scored eight points in the opening five minutes of the second half as the Lady Aggies used a 20-8 run to pull away.

Demetria Frank had 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals for B-CU, while Cleniece Roberts had six points and seven boards.

B-CU faces North Carolina Central Monday.

NOTES: B-CU now 0-9 when trailing at halftime ... Elum's two other 22 point games were in the overtime battles with FAU and UNF ... Frank has led the team in rebounds, assists and steals the last five games ... This was the third time this season B-CU has forced 27 opponent turnovers.