Jan. 13, 2007

Final Stats

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman College finally closed out a game and broke their 10-game losing streak on Saturday afternoon with a 57-52 victory over visiting North Carolina A&T State University inside Moore Gymnasium in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Though failing to register a field goal over the final four minutes of the game, B-CC (3-11, 1-4 MEAC) found a way to hold off a resilient Aggies squad. N.C. A&T (6-10, 2-2 MEAC) fought back after trailing by as many as nine (54-45) with 2:28 remaining in the game.

A jumper and two free throws by Jason Wills brought the Wildcats lead down to 55-52 with 1:07 left in the contest.

B-CC's Damitrius Coleman sank two free throws with 11 seconds left to ice the game for the `Cats, and earn a huge victory for both physical and moral stamina.

The Aggies of N.C. A&T jumped out on top first in this contest as neither team shot the ball well to open up the game. The Aggies led 4-0 at the first media timeout, and eventually ran the lead out to as many as 12 points at 24-12 with 4:21 left in the first half of play.

Steven Rush's three-pointer started off what would become a 20-9 A&T run that lasted just over six minutes. Also doing damage in the run for the Aggies was Austin Ewing and Greg Roberts. N.C. A&T led 32-25 at the half, aided by 11 Wildcat turnovers that accounted for 11 Aggies points.

The Wildcats were also slapped with 14 first half fouls that translated into N.C. A&T going 15-of-19 at the foul line in the first stanza. The Aggies managed just seven (7) field goals in the first half, but two of them came on long range baskets by Rush.

In the second half, Jimmy Hudson came alive for the `Cats as he stroked in three (3) three-point baskets in critical situations. Hudson was held scoreless for the first 25 minutes of the game until he nailed a long range shot that put B-CC out in front at 37-36 for their first lead in the second half.

Neither team shot well from the field in the second half either as N.C. A&T connected on just 20 percent of their shots to the Wildcats 35 percent. B-CC also missed several wide-open lay-ups as Damitrius Coleman dropped in two beautiful passes to the post that became missed opportunities.

Two three-pointers from Hudson and a jumper in the paint from John Anderson pushed the Wildcats lead out to 45-39 in the midst of an 8-0 run with 10:17 left in the game.

N.C. A&T would not go away quietly as the Aggies leading scorer in Jason Wills provided huge points when needed, mostly at the charity stripe. The Aggies converted on 23-of-34 shots from the free throw line on the night, with Wills accounting for 12 of those shots.

Wills finished up as the Aggies leading scorer with 18 points and seven rebounds. Following him up was Rush with eight points and a team-high three assists.

As for the victorious Wildcats, no player scored in double-figures for the first time all season. Hudson and Josh Cummings led all scorers with nine points, respectively. Anderson added a game and season-high 12 rebounds, and Jordan Carrier pitched in a season-high six assists.

Bethune-Cookman will look to keep their winning ways together as they take on South Carolina State University on Monday afternoon at 4p.m. inside Moore Gymnasium. The Wildcats swept the Bulldogs for the first time in the Clifford Reed, Jr. era of coaching at B-CC last season.