news-record.com

BALTIMORE -- Senior guard TaWuana "Tweet" Cook scored a career-high 33 points as N.C. A&T overpowered Coppin State 72-53 on Saturday to clinch the MEAC regular-season women's basketball crown for the third consecutive season. The Aggies also won three straight regular-season titles from 1987-1990.

"I know people picked us to win it, but we were hearing a lot through the grapevine that people thought we were vulnerable," said Patricia Cage-Bibbs, A&T's coach. "People really didn't believe we could pull this off because we didn't have our big guns coming back.

"I treasure all three titles, but I appreciate this one a little more because we've gone through a lot as a team this year. But the ladies hung tough and we got it done."

The Aggies (20-8, 13-1) will open the MEAC tournament as the No. 1 seed March 10 when they face the No. 8 or No. 9 seed at 12:30 p.m. at Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem. They close the regular season with games at Morgan State on Monday and at home Thursday vs. Norfolk State.