North Carolina State University Athletics
Summer's Time in Miami
12/20/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The temperature outside the Golden Panther Arena in Miami, Florida was in the mid-80's on this December Sunday. Inside, NC State's Summer Erb was even hotter. A 28-point performance in the Wolfpack Women's 80-60 win over Miami was her best in nine games.
"I just felt pretty good," Erb said as she talked about her 10-15 shooting effort. "I don't know that anything happened differently, but I had worked on my shots this past week. And my shot selection was better against Miami."
Erb also gave her teammates credit, especially junior Tynesha Lewis. "I still had two or three people on me sometimes, but Tynesha's pass fakes really helped me get open."
Last year's ACC Player of the Year had not posted any big numbers in NC State's first eight wins. However, coach Kay Yow wasn't worried about her 6-6 senior post player. "The thing I like about Summer is that she's been willing not to force shots, and has been passing the ball," said Yow.
"Everybody on our team this year can score, and that hasn't been true in the past."
Erb, who had 34 points against East Carolina last year, had been held to single digits three times this year. Before turning up the heat at Miami, a 15 point night against Georgia Tech was her highest output this season.
"Every game we go into, Summer is the key for the opponent," Yow explained. Two of the nation's top women's coaches agree. According to Rutgers' Vivian Stringer, "She's got a great array of shots and doesn't make the kind of errors that a big person usually commits. She's an intimidating force."
Pat Summit of Tennessee will have to face Erb on January 29, 2000. "If you look across the country in women's basketball," said Summit, "you don't have physically imposing players in great number. Summer is among a handful that have size and skill."
Erb is definitely big. She gets second looks as she walks through airports and shopping malls. In fact, when the NC State team lines up to claim its bags in an airport, Erb is at the front to snatch every piece off the carousel.
On the court Erb draws even more attention. However, coach Kay Yow doesn't expect Erb to face double and triple teaming the entire season. "I'd say that halfway through this season teams will stop keying on Summer," said Yow. "She will go down the stretch very strong and get a lot more shots that she has so far."
That doesn't bode well for ACC opponents who learned last year that when it's Summer Time for the Wolfpack Women, the living isn't all that easy.
