North Carolina State University Athletics
Women's Basketball Makes Short Trip to Duke
1/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
RALEIGH, NC -- NC State, ranked #19 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and #22 in the AP poll will travel to Durham to face #5 Duke tonight in a 7 p.m. ACC battle.
The Wolfpack: NC State is coming off a tough overtime loss to rival North Carolina on Sunday. The Wolfpack Women defense is ranked second in the nation in scoring defense (55.2), but it has given up an average of 66.6 points in the last six games. NC State is led by the inside-outside combination of Carisse Moody (13.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and Tynesha Lewis (13.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg).
The Opponent: Duke enters tonights contest on a seven-game winning streak. The Blue Devils' lone loss of the season came at the hands of the Clemson Tigers. Freshman Alana Beard leads Duke with 17. 4 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest. Reigning ACC Player of the Year Georgia Schweitzer is averaging 12.9 points and 4.2 rebounds. Rookie Iciss Tillis is contributing 9.1 points and 5.2 boards per outing.
Tonight's Matchup: NC State will be looking to knock off its second top 10 opponent of the season. The Wolfpack upset #8 Texas Tech earlier this season in Austin, Tex. The Pack have won four of its last five matchups with top 10 teams. Duke is 4-0 against ranked opponents this season.
Probable Starters: NC State G - 31 Amelia Labador (5-9, sophomore, 3.9 ppg, 1.1rpg) G - 20 Tynesha Lewis (5-10, senior, 13.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg) C - 44 Carisse Moody (6-1, sophomore, 13.6 ppg, 6.8rpg) F - 25 Monica Bates (6-2, senior, 3.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg) F - 45 Talisha Scates (6-1, junior, 5.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg)Duke G - 23 Georgia Schweitzer (6-0, senior, 12.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg) G - 03 Sheana Mosch (5-10, sophomore, 7.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg) C - 04 Rochelle Parent (6-0, senior, 5.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg) F - 20 Alana Beard (5-11, freshman, 17.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg) F - 33 Iciss Tillis (6-4, freshman, 9.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg) The Series: NC State owns a 37-15 advantage in the all-time series against Duke. However, the Blue Devils have won seven of the last nine meetings between these Triangle rivals. Last year the series was split with each team winning on its home court. Duke claimed a 70-64 win in Durham and NC State won an overtime battle 80-75 in Raleigh. Amy Simpson came off the bench to score a career-high 26 points in the overtime victory. Talisha Scates was the lone Pack in double-figures in the loss at Duke with 14 points.
The Coaches: Head Coach Kay Yow, in her 26th season on the Wolfpack bench, recently reached the 600th career win milestone. She has a 543-228 record at NC State and a 600-247 overall collegiate coaching mark. One of the most successful coaches in the country, she currently ranks fifth in career wins. Gail Goestenkors has a 192-75 mark in her ninth year at the helm of the Blue Devils. In her brief tenure, she has led Duke to the Final Four and been named ACC Coach of the Year three times.
Last Time Out: NC State lost a heartbreaker overtime contest at North Carolina 83-77 on Sunday. Tynesha Lewis led the Wolfpack with 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Carisse Moody posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards. Duke topped Maryland 75-64 in an ACC matchup in College Park, Md. on Sunday. Freshman sensation Alana Beard led the Blue Devils with a career-high 33 points.
Up Next: The Wolfpack Women step away from ACC play to host #7 Iowa State in the ACC/Big XII Challenge on Sunday. The 1 p.m. matchup will be nationally televised by espn2.
