North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Shuts Down Yale, 67-40
12/28/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Tony Haynes
When all else has failed this season, NC State has always been able to bail itself out with defense and offensive rebounding. Tuesday night's 67-40 victory over Yale was no exception.
The Wolfpack scored 38 points off of 29 Bulldog turnovers, and added 22-second chance points in improving its record to 8-1 on the season.
"When we win it's usually because of our defense," said NC State head coach Herb Sendek. "Yale scored ten points in the first four minutes of the game, but after that, we played good defense. That's been the trademark of this team. Having grown up in Pittsburgh, I like to use the analogy of the 'Steel Curtain' with the great Pittsburgh Steeler teams. Different teams win different ways. If we're going to be successful, playing good defense is going to be our identity."
Part of NC State's early season identity was missing from Tuesday night's game. Leading scorer Anthony Grundy dressed out, but ended up serving a one game suspension.
"Anthony didn't play very simply because he was late coming back from our Christmas break and he missed a practice," Sendek said. "He did practice with us yesterday and today, and he'll definitely be available to play again with us on Thursday."
Fortunately, the Pack didn't really need Grundy against Yale (2-8).
After hitting their first five shots to take a 10-2, the Bulldogs went cold and ended up hitting just two shots the rest of the half.
An Archie Miller three-point basket concluded a 10-2 run as the Pack tied the game at 12-apiece. Moments later, a 16 to one blitz allowed NC State to turn the lights out. During the game-deciding stretch, Yale missed ten straight shots and turned the ball over seven times.
It was 33-20 at the half. But in case there were any lingering doubts, NC State sealed the deal with a 12-2 spurt to open the second twenty minutes.
Freshman Marshall Williams, who started in place of Grundy, sparked the Wolfpack most of the night with his defense and all out hustle. In his first career start, the first year swingman from Milwaukee had 10 points and five steals in 26 minutes.
"I'm pleased with the way I've played, but I know I've got a lot of things I've got to do to get better," Williams said. "I'm trying to get better everyday as a player and a person."
Williams' all out, gritty style perhaps best personifies what this NC State team has been-and will be all about this season.
"Our team is going to be a defensive team," Sendek said. "That's not to say we aren't going to have better nights on offense."
And NC State will need to have better nights on offense, especially with the ACC opener against Maryland a little more than a week away.
On Tuesday, the Wolfpack connected on 25 of 54 shots for 46.3 percent. NC State held Yale to just 31.7 percent shooting including just 28.6 percent in the second half.
With 16 points and ten rebounds, NC State forward Damon Thornton had his second double-double of the season. Kenny Inge also finished in double digits with 11 points.
Guard Onaje Woodbine led Yale with 16 points. Woodbine also had six turnovers from the point guard position.
NC State will close out 1999 with a home game against Western Carolina (7-3) on Thursday night.
