GREENSBORO, N.C. (Interstat) — The North Carolina A&T Aggies used a dominant second quarter and a stifling defensive effort throughout to overcome a slow start and defeat the UNC Wilmington Seahawks 55-46 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game on Thursday night at Corbett Sports Center.

A crowd of 705 watched the Aggies improve to 12-16 overall, while the Seahawks fell to 6-22.

The game’s pivotal shift occurred in the second period. UNC Wilmington, led by the dynamic backcourt play of Mary Ferrito and Kylah Silver, had seized early control, building a 19-10 lead after the first quarter. The Seahawks’ offense flowed smoothly, with Ferrito orchestrating and Silver finding seams. However, the Aggies clamped down defensively to start the second quarter, holding UNCW to a mere six points in the frame.

Concurrently, North Carolina A&T’s offense found its rhythm behind the interior presence of Darrionna Howard. Howard scored eight of her 10 points in the quarter, all during a critical 17-2 Aggies run that completely flipped the game. The surge transformed a nine-point deficit into a 27-21 halftime lead for the home team. UNC Wilmington went nearly seven minutes without a field goal during the stretch, a drought from which they never fully recovered.

The Seahawks showed brief signs of life in the third quarter, trimming the deficit to four points on a couple of occasions. A 3-pointer by Mary Ferrito, who finished with a team-high 13 points and five assists, brought UNCW to within 37-33 with 4:36 left in the period. But each time the visitors threatened, the Aggies had an answer, usually from D’Mya Tucker or Paris Locke. Tucker answered Ferrito’s three with one of her own on the ensuing possession, pushing the lead back to seven and halting the momentum.

North Carolina A&T maintained a comfortable margin throughout the fourth quarter, never allowing UNC Wilmington closer than five points. The Aggies sealed the victory at the free-throw line in the final minute, with Tucker sinking four consecutive foul shots. Tucker led all scorers with 12 points, adding three assists. Howard’s efficient 10 points came on just 17 minutes of play, while Chaniya Clark anchored the defense with nine points, three blocks and a game-high nine rebounds.

For UNC Wilmington, Kylah Silver joined Ferrito in double figures with 15 points, but it came on inefficient shooting. Icyss Storm added nine points. The Seahawks’ offense, after the hot first quarter, struggled against the Aggies’ length and pressure, particularly from Clark in the paint.

The Aggies’ victory avenged a 69-64 loss to the Seahawks just three weeks prior on Feb. 13. According to Interstat’s ELO system, North Carolina A&T was projected with a 92.5 percent probability to win Thursday’s contest.

Both teams conclude their regular seasons on Saturday. UNC Wilmington travels to face Elon, while North Carolina A&T hosts the College of Charleston.