UTC Uses Wits, Solid D to Stop NC A&T, 58-43

UTC Women Have Won 5 Straight

  • Monday, December 22, 2014
  • B.B. Branton
Chelsey Shumpert hangs in the air as she puts up a difficult shot in the paint.
Chelsey Shumpert hangs in the air as she puts up a difficult shot in the paint.
photo by Tim Evearitt

“I plan to sleep for two days, but will be ready to open presents on Thursday (Christmas Day).”

UTC senior Ka’vonne Towns in response to being asked her plans for the short Christmas break

 

English writer and poet Rudyard Kipling must have moon-lighted as a defensive-minded basketball coach.

Maybe he was thinking a century ahead (he died in 1936) and of the UTC’s women’s basketball defensive efforts when he wrote …

 

“If you can keep your wits about you while all others are losing theirs, and blaming you.

The world will be yours and everything in it, what's more, you'll be a man, my son.”

 

UTC coach Jim Foster referred to Kipling’s famous words in Sunday’s press conference after the Mocs posted a 58-43 home win against North Carolina A&T in McKenzie Arena.

 

“When we are willing to move our feet and play solid defense we have the opportunity to be a really good basketball team,” said Foster in his usual matter-of-fact way. “This was a solid win and we continue to be a work in progress.”

  

A smiling Coach Foster in Sunday afternoon's action.


 

Foster isn’t greedy in that he will let others have the world, unless having the world translates to the NCAA title.

 

Moving their feet and with lots of defensive pressure on today’s opposition who averaged just under 60 points a game prior to this weekend’s Chattanooga Christmas Classic, the Mocs held them to their lowest season point production.

 

The Mocs (9-3 and winners of five straight) won the battle on the boards, 31-28, and held the visitors to 34.6% shooting from the field.

 

The Blue and Gold have now held six opponents to under 50 points, including No.7 Stanford (54-46) last week.

 

UTC sophomore center Jasmine Joyner must have studied Kipling’s words before the game as she learned once the contest started that she had to stay calm.

 

“I knew they would be physical, but didn’t know they would be that physical,” said the 6-2 sophomore from Southhaven, Miss. who registered her fourth double-double (10 pts., 12 rebs, plus 5 blocks) of the season.

 

“I guess I didn’t eat enough Wheaties this morning, but was able to pick my game up, stay calm and not get frustrated as the game went along.”

 

The Mocs also played well offensively, with senior Ka’vonne Towns leading the way with 14 points, followed by Jasmine’s 10, nine (and 3 assists) from Chesley Shumpert and eight from Red Payne as eight players scored at least two points each.

 

Freshman Keiana Gilbert had a balanced with points (7), boards (6), assists (5) and steals (3).


The Aggies were led by Ebonie Ross with a game-high 17 (and 8 rebounds) and April McRae (10 pts),

 

“They (N.C. A&T) is a physical team so we used the whole court to move the ball, were not in a hurry (to shoot) and made them play defense for a long time,” Foster stated.

 

“Ball movement is so key and that’s the way the game is supposed to be played’” said Foster who must know something about how the game is to be played with 821 career wins and four trips to the NCAA Final 8.

 

Towns, who was the benefactor of good passing teammates with a 3 of 5 afternoon from beyond the arc, said, “coach Foster emphasizes to reverse the ball more than twice and the defense will then move to the middle and leave us open on the outside.”

 

First Half Shooting: After NC A&T started quickly with a 6-0 lead at 16:38 (Aprill McRae scored all six pts ending with 10) , the Mocs were able to find the open teammates, took the lead for good at 8-6 on Shumpert’s NBA trey (easily from 25) at 13:54 and were off and running.

 

In a 19-2 Mocs run in a seven minute span, Towne and Shumpert combined for three 3s for a 19-8 lead at 9:13 on a Moses Johnson layup (pass from Bramlett).

 

The victors expanded the lead to 12 on Towns third and final 3 (24-12, 5:47) and then to 17 (31-14, 1:10) on Bramlett’s only three of the game.

 

Hot Shooting: UTC missed its first two shots from the field and was 10-14 from field 71.4% in next 12 minutes. The Aggies went 3-6  for 6-0 lead early then 2 of 13 at 15.4% during the same time frame. 

The Mocs led by 15 at half (32-17) and expanded it to a game-high 23 (44-21) at 13:27 of the second half on a layup by Jas (assist to Payne).

 

The Aggies cut the lead to 15 at 2:38 on a layup by Eboni Ross and the Mocs won by 15 (58-43).

 

What’s Next: Players head home for Christmas, will practice on campus late afternoon Christmas Day and fly out early to San Antonio, Texas not to take on the Spurs, but to face SIU Edwardsville (Dec. 28) and South Dakota (Dec.29) in the UTSA Holiday Classic.

 

Balanced Scoring: Coach Foster noted the six players who scored between 5 and 14 points.

“Balanced scoring is key … that’s the team we are … our players are willing to make the next pass to find the open teammate … that’s how San Antonio won the NBA title last year.”

 

Hitting the 3s: Towns (3-5), Shumpert (1-4), Destiny Bramlett (1-1), Ansley Chilton (1-1) … Chilton has connected on both of her 3-point attempts this season.

 

Chattanooga 58, N.C. A&T 43

 

NC A&T 17 – 26 – 43

UTC 32 -26 – 58

 

Stats: Points in the Paint: NC, 28-26

Points off Turnovers: 17-17

2nd Chance Points: UTC, 9-7

Bench Points: NC , 11-10

Shooting: First Half:  UTC (55%)  NC A&T 30.4%)

For the Game: UTC 52.6%  NC A&T 34.6%

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net

Shumpert shoots a three-pointer from the corner.
Shumpert shoots a three-pointer from the corner.
photo by Tim Evearitt
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