North Carolina State University Athletics
#20 Wolfpack Women Host #4 Duke in ACC Battle
2/17/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Game Nationally Televised on ESPN2
NC State will battle rival Duke in an ACC matchup Sunday at 2 p.m. in Reynolds Coliseum. The game will be nationally televised live on ESPN2. The Wolfpack enter the game as the hottest team in the league with five straight wins.
The Wolfpack: NC State has won five consecutive games which is the longest current winning streak in the ACC. The Wolfpack enter today's contest ranked #20 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll and #21 in the Associated Press poll. After struggling to a disappointing 2-6 mark in the first half of the conference slate, the Wolfpack Women are off to a 5-0 start in the second half of the ACC season. The NC State defense is ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense (56.2). NC State is led by the inside-outside combination of Carisse Moody (14.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and Tynesha Lewis (13.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.8 apg). Lewis was moved to the point guard position on Jan. 29 and the Wolfpack have won five straight since the move.
The Opponent: Duke has one of the top teams in the country and one of the top freshman in the nation in Alana Beard. The 5-11 guard averages 17.2 points per game to go along with 4.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.6 steals per outing. Reigning ACC Player of the Year Georgia Schweitzer posts averages of 13.1 points, 4.4 boards and 4.5 assists. The Blue Devils are averaging 76.4 points per outing, but today face a stingy NC State defense that allows opponents only 56.2 points per game.
Today's Matchup: NC State has enjoyed success in recent years against top 10 teams, posting a 12-7 mark versus top 10 foes in the last five years. The Pack have knocked off four of the last six top 10 opponents that visited Reynolds Coliseum.
Duke has locked up at least a share of the ACC regular season title while NC State is still among those teams battling for a higher seed for the ACC tournament. A win today could move the Wolfpack into a tie for at least third and maybe second depending on the outcome of the North Carolina-Florida State game.
Probable Starters:
NC State
G - 20 Tynesha Lewis (5-10, senior, 13.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.8 apg)
G - 32 Ivy Gardner (5-9, sophomore, 7.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
C - 44 Carisse Moody (6-1, sophomore, 14.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg)
F - 25 Monica Bates (6-2, senior, 3.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
F - 45 Talisha Scates (6-1, junior, 6.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
Duke
G - 23 Georgia Schweitzer (6-0, senior, 13.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
G - 20 Alana Beard (5-11, freshman, 17.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
C - 33 Iciss Tillis (6-4, freshman, 10.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg)
F - 03 Sheana Mosch (5-10, sophomore, 11.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
F - 04 Rochelle Parent (6-0, senior, 5.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg)
The Series: NC State holds a 37-16 advantage in the all-time series with its Triangle rival, including a 18-5 mark in games played in Reynolds Coliseum. However, the Blue Devils have won six of the last seven matchups between these teams. A year ago the season series was split with each team winning on its homecourt. The Wolfpack won an overtime thriller 80-75 in Raleigh on Jan. 20. Amy Simpson came off the bench to score a game-high 26 points and Summer Erb posted a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Peppi Browne led Duke with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
Last Meeting:Duke edged NC State 62-59 in Durham in the first matchup of these teams this year on Jan. 18. Duke led by as many as eight before the Wolfpack cut the lead to one with less than a minute to go. Georgia Schweitzer then made a bucket to put the Blue Devils up three and NC State missed two three-point opportunities in the closing seconds.
The Coaches: Head Coach Kay Yow, in her 26th season on the Wolfpack bench, recently reached the 600th career win milestone. She has a 548-231 (.703) record at NC State and a 605-250 (.708) overall collegiate coaching mark. One of the most successful coaches in the country, she currently ranks fifth in career wins. Gail Goestenkors owns a 199-76 (.723) mark in her ninth season on the Blue Devil bench.
Last Time Out: NC State beat Georgia Tech 74-68 Thursday night in Altanta. Carisse Moody led the Wolfpack with 23 points and nine rebounds. Tynesha Lewis added 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocked shots.
Duke downed Maryland 75-54 Thursday at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Freshman Alana Beard led the Blue Devils with 23 points, five rebounds and seven steals.
Up Next: The Wolfpack Women will host North Carolina on Thursday night in Reynolds Coliseum at 7 p.m. in the final home game of the season. NC State will honor seniors Tynesha Lewis and Monica Bates prior to tipoff.
