DELAND, Fla. – D'Mya Tucker scored 20 points and Maleia Bracone scored 18 to lead North Carolina A&T to a 66-47 win over Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday afternoon in nonconference women's basketball action at The Edmunds Center on the campus of Stetson University. In the loss, BCU sees its four-game unbeaten run come to an end just before the holiday break.
 
Bethune-Cookman (8-4) trailed 19-9 after the opening quarter as North Carolina A&T got to the free throw line eight times – converting on all eight attempts in the process. BCU was forced into seven first quarter turnovers as the Aggies scored seven points off those miscues.
 
A Maleia Bracone fastbreak jumper in the paint pushed the North Carolina A&T lead to 22-9.
 
Kayla White and D'Shantae Edwards would spark the Wildcats to a 16-0 midway through the second quarter, as a three-pointer from the corner by White allowed BCU its first lead of the game at 23-22. Edwards followed with her second steal of the period, dropping in a driving layup and extending the Cats lead at 25-22 with 2:57 remaining in the first half.
 
However, N.C. A&T's D'Mya Tucker connected on a three-pointer to lift the Aggies back out in front, 29-27 with 1:36 left. Free throws from Jordyn Dorsey and Bracone advanced the lead as the Aggies took a 33-27 lead into the locker room at the half.
 
For the game, North Carolina A&T (5-5) shot 92.3 percent from the foul line as the Aggies connected on 24 of 26 attempts. Meanwhile, an aggressive BCU offense was limited to just 6 of 14 at the foul line.
 
With BCU trailing 36-34 after a Chanelle McDonald jumper in the paint, it would be N.C. A&T's Dorsey hitting four consecutive free throws to begin a run for the Aggies, eventually leading to their 49-40 lead at the end of the third quarter. Sean Kelly Darks converted on a fastbreak layup, and teammates Mia Hardin and Tucker bookended that with layups of their own over the course of the final three minutes in the period.
 
N.C. A&T would eventually outscore the Cats 17-7 in the final stanza.
 
The Aggies received a game-high 20 points from Tucker, followed in double-figures by Bracone (18), as well as Dorsey (15). Hardin led all players in the game with eight rebounds.
 
BCU was led in scoring by Kerrighan Dunn with 18 points, as she connected on 4 of 9 from beyond the arc – adding six rebounds and a pair of steals. Edwards turned in eight points and three steals. White registered seven points and five rebounds in the loss.
 
The Wildcats will break for the holidays before returning to action December 30, traveling to Macon, Georgia to take on the Mercer Bears in the final nonconference contest of the 2023-24 season before turning their attention to Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play.
 
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