NORTH CAROLINA A&T AGGIES 2 – 3 (0-0 CAA)
Massey rating 196 (UNC 30); NET (Nolan) 152 (UNC 20), Torvik 184 (UNC 15)
Last season 19-12 (15-3); CAAT 0-1, WBIT 0-1
Note that the NCAA has become fascinated by something called Autumn Johnson’s Power 10. Carolina is not on the list. Further, I have no idea who Autumn Johnson is. Her top four are the usual suspects: UConn, S. Carolina, UCLA and Texas.
Thursday evening’s game for the 3-1 and #14/#12 Tar Heels is against NC A&T at Corbett Sports Center in Greensboro. It is the second consecutive year we have played them on their home court. Overall UNC has played them just four times and is 4-0. The first three games were in Chapel Hill and in the first two Carolina broke the century mark with 101-33 and 113-58 scores. The 2021 game was also one-sided (92-47) but last year’s match-up was more competitive and the final score was 66-47. Laila Hull led all UNC scorers with 14 points including 4 of 7 from three.
The Corbett Center seats 5,000 and for the first-ever appearance by UNC drew 3600. Fans call Corbett the “Dawg Pound” since the A&T mascot is “:Aggie the Bulldog”.
Last season the Aggies won the regular season title in the CAA and were the #1 seed in the tournament. William and Mary, the #9 seed, popped that balloon with a 74-66 win. A&T did draw a bid to the WBIT, a second (or maybe third) level post-season tournament and were sent home by #1 seeded Virginia Tech 61-45.
The Aggies, officially the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, is the largest HBCU in the USA. It was founded in 1891 and today has over 14,000 students. It was the second college established under the provisions of the Morrill Act of 1890, as well as the first for “people of color” (says Wikipedia) in the State of North Carolina. Its graduates along a wide range of technical disciplines are considered among the top level in the US. It became a member of the Consolidate University of NC in 1972.
A&T has played five games so far, three losses and two wins. The opener was a 40-78 loss at Texas Tech, while game #2 continued the Texas tour with a loss at TCU 43-82. A&T then crossed over to New Mexico to play U. of New Mexico at Albuquerque. This game was another loss 64-71 but was competitive. A&T trailed by just two, 48-50, going into the fourth quarter. The Aggies were still down by two with 2½ minutes left but late turnovers killed A&T chances.
The Aggies then returned to Greensboro and lined up a pair of non-D1 clubs: Shaw and Winston-Salem State. They were of course easy wins, 77-28 with Shaw and 74-43 with W-S State.
The Aggies carry 14 players on the roster, and so far, all but one has seen court time. The Aggies return three starters from last year’s 19-12 team. These include 6-0 junior F Paris Locke (9.2 ppg/5.0 rpg), 6-4 redshirt senior C Chaniya Clark (10.6/7.0), and 5-11 GS G D’Mya Tucker (8.8/4.6), Locke leads in assists and steals; Clark in blocks. Clark is a preseason 1st Team All-CAA selection; last year against UNC she had 5 points and 5 rebounds. Locke is 2nd Team and Tucker HM. Tucker missed all of last season on IR.
To make even sides, 6-0 sophomore F Elliott Jessup has four starts (6.0/3.6) and true freshman Jamyia Lindsay has three (2.8/1.8). Darrionna Howard, a 5-11 junior G (3.8/4.4) has a start and transfer Jordan Brown, a 5-9 GS G has two (4.6/2.4). Jessup and Howard played against UNC last year; each scored 2 points.
A&T added five freshmen and two transfers to the roster. Other than Lindsay, two other freshmen have been active off the bench. They are Crystal Hardy, a 5-8 G (6.4 ppg) and Anaya Karriem, a 6-2 F (4.2 ppg). When in games Hardy likes to shoot threes: 7 of 16 so far for 43.8%. Karriem adds some size and is the second leading rebounder with 5.8 per game. The remaining two freshmen, 5-8 G Londyn Walker and 5-9 G Ja’naya Meyers, are less frequently seen.
Jordan Brown is a transfer from Langston University, a HBCU in Oklahoma. She was a starter there. The other transfer is Shimei Muhammad, a 6-0 F from Charleston So. She started about half the games and was known both for her defense and as a three-point shooter. For whatever reason, she rarely leaves the bench for A&T.
The Aggies are not a good three-point team (so far); 20 of 76 (26.3%). There might be some consolation in that if it were not for UNC shooting 29.7% from three. Carolina would have the advantage in most other categories.
The Head Coach is Tarrell Robinson, in his 14th year with a record of 250-146. He prefers a slower style of play that emphasizes defense. Robinson graduated from A&T (2001). He has never had a losing conference season (160-50). Robinson’s teams generally average in the low 60’s while holding opponents to the high 50’s – definitely a slow pace. Robinson was named CAA Coach of the Year after last season.
Carolina has high hopes for this year’s club, currently 3-1. The team is averaging 75.8 ppg and has a scoring margin of 19.6 points. However, Massey knocked UNC down to #30 (-10 places), probably based on the UCLA game. A poor second half against Fairfield notwithstanding, the Heels had five players in double figures: Ciera Toomey (12), Indya Nivar (10), Laila Hull (14), Nyla Brooks (12 and Nyla Harris (12).
I need to apologize for something. In a recent preview I said that the two opponents that followed the Fairfield game were “cupcakes”. They are not. I was reading the schedule and confused the two games that follow Louisville: UNCW and Charleston Southern, both of which have Net rankings at or below 300. A&T gave UNC a solid game last year at their place and are likely to do it again, and UNCG has a strong Carolina connection with Associate HC Cetera DeGraffenreid and Assistant Coach Alex Miller. Anyway, both are part of the UNC System, and as Coach Banghart admitted in a recent interview there is an “expectation” that UNC will give games to other D-1 members.
The game is 7 PM EST. Unfortunately for Carolina fans coverage for the N C A&T game is provided only by FLOCOLLEGE, a subscription service that holds the rights to all CAA games.
Without taking out a subscription fans will not be able to see the streaming coverage – although service is easily cancelled. FLOCOLLEGE is also covering the Cancun Challenge so taking out a subscription for a month may be worthwhile.
However, there should be radio coverage as well from On Demand with the pregame show at 6:30.
Massey rating 196 (UNC 30); NET (Nolan) 152 (UNC 20), Torvik 184 (UNC 15)
Last season 19-12 (15-3); CAAT 0-1, WBIT 0-1
Note that the NCAA has become fascinated by something called Autumn Johnson’s Power 10. Carolina is not on the list. Further, I have no idea who Autumn Johnson is. Her top four are the usual suspects: UConn, S. Carolina, UCLA and Texas.
Thursday evening’s game for the 3-1 and #14/#12 Tar Heels is against NC A&T at Corbett Sports Center in Greensboro. It is the second consecutive year we have played them on their home court. Overall UNC has played them just four times and is 4-0. The first three games were in Chapel Hill and in the first two Carolina broke the century mark with 101-33 and 113-58 scores. The 2021 game was also one-sided (92-47) but last year’s match-up was more competitive and the final score was 66-47. Laila Hull led all UNC scorers with 14 points including 4 of 7 from three.
The Corbett Center seats 5,000 and for the first-ever appearance by UNC drew 3600. Fans call Corbett the “Dawg Pound” since the A&T mascot is “:Aggie the Bulldog”.
Last season the Aggies won the regular season title in the CAA and were the #1 seed in the tournament. William and Mary, the #9 seed, popped that balloon with a 74-66 win. A&T did draw a bid to the WBIT, a second (or maybe third) level post-season tournament and were sent home by #1 seeded Virginia Tech 61-45.
The Aggies, officially the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, is the largest HBCU in the USA. It was founded in 1891 and today has over 14,000 students. It was the second college established under the provisions of the Morrill Act of 1890, as well as the first for “people of color” (says Wikipedia) in the State of North Carolina. Its graduates along a wide range of technical disciplines are considered among the top level in the US. It became a member of the Consolidate University of NC in 1972.
A&T has played five games so far, three losses and two wins. The opener was a 40-78 loss at Texas Tech, while game #2 continued the Texas tour with a loss at TCU 43-82. A&T then crossed over to New Mexico to play U. of New Mexico at Albuquerque. This game was another loss 64-71 but was competitive. A&T trailed by just two, 48-50, going into the fourth quarter. The Aggies were still down by two with 2½ minutes left but late turnovers killed A&T chances.
The Aggies then returned to Greensboro and lined up a pair of non-D1 clubs: Shaw and Winston-Salem State. They were of course easy wins, 77-28 with Shaw and 74-43 with W-S State.
The Aggies carry 14 players on the roster, and so far, all but one has seen court time. The Aggies return three starters from last year’s 19-12 team. These include 6-0 junior F Paris Locke (9.2 ppg/5.0 rpg), 6-4 redshirt senior C Chaniya Clark (10.6/7.0), and 5-11 GS G D’Mya Tucker (8.8/4.6), Locke leads in assists and steals; Clark in blocks. Clark is a preseason 1st Team All-CAA selection; last year against UNC she had 5 points and 5 rebounds. Locke is 2nd Team and Tucker HM. Tucker missed all of last season on IR.
To make even sides, 6-0 sophomore F Elliott Jessup has four starts (6.0/3.6) and true freshman Jamyia Lindsay has three (2.8/1.8). Darrionna Howard, a 5-11 junior G (3.8/4.4) has a start and transfer Jordan Brown, a 5-9 GS G has two (4.6/2.4). Jessup and Howard played against UNC last year; each scored 2 points.
A&T added five freshmen and two transfers to the roster. Other than Lindsay, two other freshmen have been active off the bench. They are Crystal Hardy, a 5-8 G (6.4 ppg) and Anaya Karriem, a 6-2 F (4.2 ppg). When in games Hardy likes to shoot threes: 7 of 16 so far for 43.8%. Karriem adds some size and is the second leading rebounder with 5.8 per game. The remaining two freshmen, 5-8 G Londyn Walker and 5-9 G Ja’naya Meyers, are less frequently seen.
Jordan Brown is a transfer from Langston University, a HBCU in Oklahoma. She was a starter there. The other transfer is Shimei Muhammad, a 6-0 F from Charleston So. She started about half the games and was known both for her defense and as a three-point shooter. For whatever reason, she rarely leaves the bench for A&T.
The Aggies are not a good three-point team (so far); 20 of 76 (26.3%). There might be some consolation in that if it were not for UNC shooting 29.7% from three. Carolina would have the advantage in most other categories.
The Head Coach is Tarrell Robinson, in his 14th year with a record of 250-146. He prefers a slower style of play that emphasizes defense. Robinson graduated from A&T (2001). He has never had a losing conference season (160-50). Robinson’s teams generally average in the low 60’s while holding opponents to the high 50’s – definitely a slow pace. Robinson was named CAA Coach of the Year after last season.
Carolina has high hopes for this year’s club, currently 3-1. The team is averaging 75.8 ppg and has a scoring margin of 19.6 points. However, Massey knocked UNC down to #30 (-10 places), probably based on the UCLA game. A poor second half against Fairfield notwithstanding, the Heels had five players in double figures: Ciera Toomey (12), Indya Nivar (10), Laila Hull (14), Nyla Brooks (12 and Nyla Harris (12).
I need to apologize for something. In a recent preview I said that the two opponents that followed the Fairfield game were “cupcakes”. They are not. I was reading the schedule and confused the two games that follow Louisville: UNCW and Charleston Southern, both of which have Net rankings at or below 300. A&T gave UNC a solid game last year at their place and are likely to do it again, and UNCG has a strong Carolina connection with Associate HC Cetera DeGraffenreid and Assistant Coach Alex Miller. Anyway, both are part of the UNC System, and as Coach Banghart admitted in a recent interview there is an “expectation” that UNC will give games to other D-1 members.
The game is 7 PM EST. Unfortunately for Carolina fans coverage for the N C A&T game is provided only by FLOCOLLEGE, a subscription service that holds the rights to all CAA games.
Without taking out a subscription fans will not be able to see the streaming coverage – although service is easily cancelled. FLOCOLLEGE is also covering the Cancun Challenge so taking out a subscription for a month may be worthwhile.
However, there should be radio coverage as well from On Demand with the pregame show at 6:30.
