NC State
Clemson University
Wolfpack Women Defeat Tigers In First Round, 61-52
3/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 2, 2002
Greensboro, N.C.--Kaayla Chones totaled 11 points and 10 rebounds for her 13th career double-double to lead the sixth-seeded Wolfpack past Clemson 61-52 in the first round of the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament in Greensboro, N.C. Chones' double-double also moves her into ninth in the NC State record books.
Amy Simpson tossed in 16 points on the evening to lead the Wolfpack (14-14 overall) in scoring, the first time she has done so this season. In 2001-02, the Wolfpack has had ten different leading scorers.
The Wolfpack's defeat of the Tigers marked the second consecutive season that NC State has been swept by their first-round opponent and subsequently defeated them in the tournament. NC State victimized the Maryland Terrapins in 2001 with their first-round drubbing of the Terps 65-52 after losing both meetings during the regular season.
NC State, who was 0-3 all-time as the sixth seed in the tournament, came out with a balanced attack against Clemson, who relied mostly on the offense of junior Chrissy Floyd, who scored Clemson's first 15 points. The Wolfpack built the lead to as many as eight in the first half on a 3-pointer from the left wing by Simpson with 7:08 to play.
Floyd put Clemson (17-11) ahead with 2:53 left in the half at 23-22 before the Wolfpack went on a 7-0 run to go up by six points at the break. Chones led the Wolfpack with nine points and seven rebounds at the half, while Floyd had 18 for the Tigers.
NC State continued to pour it on at the beginning of the second half, pushing the advantage to as many as 13 on Rachel Stockdale's three-pointer from the corner with 13:26 to play in the game. Stockdale finished the game going 2-5 from the arc, giving her 40 three-pointers for the season. She needs just seven more to tie Katie Smrcka-Duffy, who hit 47 in 1996-97, for second on the all-time list for three-pointers made by a freshman.
Clemson battled back late in the game, closing the lead to 55-52 with 45 seconds left on a jumper by Maggie Slosser. However, NC State went 6-6 from the free-throw line down the stretch to salt away the win.
Floyd finished with a career-high 30 points, the most any opposing player has scored against NC State this season. However, the Wolfpack did a stellar job on her in the second half, shutting her down over the last 8:12 of the game.
The Wolfpack now turns its attention to their semifinal game against the North Carolina Tar Heels, a 78-53 winner over Maryland earlier on Saturday. NC State is 6-3 all-time against the second-seeded Tar Heels in the ACC Tournament. Game time is set for 3:30 tomorrow.
