North Carolina State University Athletics
Women's Basketball Seeks Fourth-Straight Win at Home
1/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 18, 2003
RALEIGH, N.C. -
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Clemson (10-5, 2-2 ACC) -The Report
Ranked fourth in the ACC currently ... led by SR G Chrissy Floyd, who was a 2002 First team All-ACC pick ... Floyd is also a member of the ACC 50th Anniversary team ... has been high scorer 11 of 15 games ... has six, 20-pt. games, second in the ACC ... recently lost at No. 8 North Carolina on Thursday, Jan. 16, 77-55 ... SR G Tabitha Vasilas led the Tigers with 13 points on 5-11 shooting ... 0-3 against ranked opponents this season: recently No. 8 UNC, No. 1 Duke (53-69) and No. 14 South Carolina, 72-58, in the first game of the season ... FR C Amanda White is averaging 7.4 rpg to lead the team ... team is averaging 5.3 blocks per game, with White and FR FKhalil Sanders tallying 21 and 23 respectively ... White has three double-doubles, the most on the team ... Floyd was ACC Player of the Week Dec. 16, while Sanders earned Rookie of the Week, Dec. 30 ... Sanders collected five blocks in the 69-62 win over Western Kentucky, Nov. 29 - second in the ACC.
Quick Note: Clemson is 1-1 on the road in ACC games and 3-2 overall ...beginning with NC State, the Tigers will have three-straight televised games (at Georgia Tech and home vs. Wake Forest).
Next Tip
There are just three ACC games remaining in the first round of contests for the Woflpack Women. NC State heads to Wake Forest on Jan. 23 and then Georgia Tech on the 26th. No. 1 Duke still remains on the horizon, Jan. 29 at home.
The Last Time against Clemson
NC State lost the regular season contests last year, with scores of 62-51 and 63-52 ... the Pack did however defeat the Tigers in the opening round of the ACC Tournament, 61-52. R-JR Kaayla Chones collected 22 pts. in the first loss and 11 in the second loss to lead the squad, while SR G Amy Simpson led the way in the lone victory with 16. Last six games: 3/2/02, NC State won 61-52; 2/25/02, Clemson won 63-52; 1/24/02, Clemson won 62-51; 3/4/01 NC State won 65-52; 2/4/01, NC State won 56-50; 1/5/01, NC State loss 67-52.
Injury Update
Sophomore guard Rachel Stockdale will redshirt this season after she had surgery on her right knee recently. The surgery is called a lateral release, which is basically a cutting and reattachment of the IT band. Stockdale played just two games for the Pack this season. She finished with 13 points, including a 4-7 performance at the arc. She also tallied four rebounds and two assists. Freshman Jennifer Filipowski had a scope done on her right knee. Not practicing.
Back in Action
Senior Amelia Labador is back in action after suffering a scratch to her left eye against UNC. She scored 11 points against Florida State and was 3-3 from the 3-pt. line.
Also ...
Junior forward Adeola Olanrewaju is on a leave of absence for an undetermined period of time. Olanrewaju led the team in rebounds with 8.0 per game, riding on the heals on an 11-rebound performance versus Loyola Marymount, Saturday, Dec. 1. She was also averaging 4.0 points per game in 25 minutes a contest after starting two of the four games played this season.
What Just Happened
RALEIGH, N.C. --- NC State completed a three-game home winning streak with a clutch shot over Virginia to win the game, 50-49. Redshirt-junior Terah James connected on a 15-foot jumper with two seconds remaining to thwart the Virginia comeback in the second half. The win puts the Cavaliers at 0-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, its worst start in school history. Despite Virginia's leading scorer, sophomore Brandi Teamer, earning her third double-double this season, and sophomore La Tonya Blue hitting two free throws to put the Cavaliers ahead, Virginia left Reynolds Coliseum with its fourth-straight ACC loss. Teamer finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds, including eight offensive caroms. Blue tallied 14 points and five rebounds, which included nine points in the second-half. In the final five minutes of the half the score toggled between both teams having a one-point advantage. In fact, with 11 seconds left, the score moved to the favor of Virginia after Blue hit two free throws. After a timeout, NC State pushed the ball the full length of the court, a duty performed by sophomore Kendra Bell, and redshirt-junior Kaayla Chones set a screen to open up James. James dribbled in on the right wing and took the jump shot to provide the victory.
A Long and Winding Road
The Pack can't seem to find a roll yet this season. The resulting schedule has produced a somewhat winding trail as NC State winds in and out between wins and losses. First there were two losses, No. 6 UConn and No. 25 UC Santa Barbara. Then there was a victory, Iowa. Then another loss. The month of Decemeber resulted in a loss against Loyola Marymount, a win over East Carolina, a loss versus Washington, a win facing Florida, a loss after hosting No. 22 Brighman Young and then back-to-back victories against Elon and at Seton Hall. However the month closed with a 24-pt. loss to Old Dominion. The ACC season brought new hope with a win against Maryland, but was quickly pushed aside after two-straight losses, No. 11 North Carolina and recently at Florida State. The Pack defeated Virginia and will look for No. 2 against Clemson.
Looking Ahead at Wake Forest (10-5, 1-4 ACC)
Only ACC win came against Virginia on Jan. 5, 77-66 ... FR G Cortleia Bond-Young is the ACC's freshman scoring leader with 12.1 ppg and is second in the league in 3-pt. FG pct., 44 percent (33-75) ... team ranks second in turnover/assist ratio with 1.05 per game ... also have the second-lowest turnover margin in the ACC at +4.53 ... FR F Kelia Evans joined the squad after the fall semester, averagin 5.7 mpg ... JR F Eafton Hill is the Deacons' leading scorer and rebounder with 12.6 ppg and 6.8 rpg ... have defeated NC State just five times since 1975 ... opened the season with an eight-game winning streak ... JR G Tonia Brown was a 2002 All-ACC third team selection, set the school's single season record with 62 3-ptrs ... currently averaging 10.6 ppg, while shooting 18-55 (.327) from the arc.
Bad Beginnings
* The loss against UC Santa Barbara was the first home opener loss in Wolfpack Women history. There have been 15 total home openers since 1974.
* The last time the Pack had an 0-2 start was Coach Yow's first season as head coach in 1975-76. NC State finished that season with a 19-7 overall record. Following that start, the team went on an eight-game winning streak.
* 1999 (17-12) was the only time NC State had a three-game losing streak.
* The Pack has never started a season at 1-3. There have been eight times when the women had a 2-2 start, with the most recent coming in the 1998-99 season, the same year as the three-game losing streak.
* The Pack has only had three losing seasons: 2001-02, 1993-94 and 1987-88.
* In 1987-88, NC State was 6-8 after 14 games and went on to finish 10-17. The slate however featured 10 games against top 20 opponents.
* The Pack went 3-5 in 1998-99 and finished 17-12 ... NC State lost three-straight and then went on to win five consecutive from Dec. 21 until Jan. 7.
* The Pack's first two home losses to begin the season, along with a 2001-02 season-ending home loss to Clemson, ties the NC State record for three consecutive losses in Reynolds.
* The last time NC State started a season 6-6 was in 1992-93 and that team finished at 14-13.
Similar Seasons?
A look at two seasons may bring back memories for some NC State fans. The 1987-88 season started the same way as the Pack's current slate, 7-8. Unfortunately it went on to complete the schedule at 10-17. A redeeming factor is the strength of schedule which featured 10, top 20 teams. In 1998-99, the team started out 3-5, but went on a five-game winning streak from Dec. 21-Jan. 7. That team finished 17-12. The 87-88 team unfortunately had a rough go in the ACC portion and finished 3-11, with wins over North Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest. The next season (88-89) the team went on to earn a 24-7 record. In the 87-88 season, the Pack was 7-8 on Jan. 19. The following game against Maryland, the squad lost and dropped to 7-9 overall.
Pack's Points
* The Pack is 0-4 against ranked opponents this season. The first loss came against No. 25 UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 22, the second came from No. 6 UConn in the Women's Jimmy V Classic, Nov. 24, the third from No. 22 BYU, Dec. 14 and the fourth was a result of a 80-59 loss to No. 11 UNC.
*The Pack leads in just one category over its opponents this season, blocks at 44-42.
* The 49 points earned by Virginia was the lowest offensive output by an opponent this season.
* The Pack is led by Chones with 15.9 ppg and 8.7 rpg, including 23 blocks, four of which she earned in career-high fashion against ODU.
* The Pack's Jennifer Filipowski has not played in any games thus far as she rehabilitates her right knee.
* The Pack's Billie McDowell has been the only freshman to play in any games this season and earned her first career start against LMU after she recorded her first double-double versus Iowa, 11 pts, 10 rebounds. Thus far she has tallied two double-digit scoring games and is averaging 3.5 ppg in 10.2 minutes a contest.
* Chones is one of two players in the ACC to record 19 rebounds in game this season.
* Seven Wolfpack Women have scored in double-digits this year ... Chones has in 13-15 games, Moody has seven times, James six times, Labador seven times, McDowell and Mendeng twice and Simpson and Bailey one time.
*For the Pack, 10 games have resulted in double-figure rebounding performances, with McDowell, Olanrewaju, Chones, Labador and Moody each doing the deed.
* James is the only player to record double-figure assist with 11 against Maryland.
* Labador has scored in double-figures, seven of last 11 games, including one double-double, vs. Florida (10 p, 10 r). She is fourth on the team in shot percentage with 40.8 percent.
* The win against Virginia was the first time the Pack has seen just one player earn double-figures.
* There have been three games with only one person scoring in double-digits, Kaayla Chones has been the designee. The Pack is 1-2 when only one person does the deed.
* Moody has posted double-figure games, seven of the last 11 contests, including a double-double (18-10) against Florida. She ranks third on the team in shot percentage at 42.7 percent.
* The loss at Old Dominion was NC State's largest scoring deficit (24) against the Monarchs in the 32 games played. The previous high was 23 recorded in 1982.
* The loss to UNC was the Pack's biggest lost since 1995, when NC State scored 71 to UNC's 90.
* The Pack is 0-2 when recording a more successful shot percentage. Versus Florida State the women shot 41.8 to 40.7 from the Noles. The other was to Washington when the women shot 54.7 percent, compared to 41.
* The Pack is 4-3 with the lineup of James, Simpson, Labador, Moody and Chones. And, 2-2 with James, Rivers, Labador, Chones and Mendeng.
*Since Mendeng has entered the lineup the Pack is 4-3.
* Mendeng earned her first start against Maryland ... finished with 17 points and eight rebounds.
* James is taking her role as a leader to the scoring ranks as she consistently improves with each game. At ODU she recorded a season-high 14 points after shooting a season-best 6-15 ... also recorded a career-high 11 assists against Maryland.
* The Pack is without the service of three players this season at this point, Rachel Stockdale, Jennifer Filipowski and Adeola Olanrewaju.
* Chones has 563 rebounds and 925 points for her career.
* Chones has led the ACC is defensive rebounds the entire season, she currently leads with 6.87 per outing.
* The Pack is looking for its fourth-straight home win, after defeating Virginia, Maryland and Elon.
Mending With Mendeng
Since the entry of junior forward Alvine Mendeng on Dec. 18, the Wolfpack has recorded a record of 4-3. She recorded her first double-digit performance at NC State with her 13 points at Seton Hall. She also grabbed seven rebounds. After seven games she is averaging 8.7 points, 6.3 rebounds per contest, second-highest on the squad, to go along with six blocks and five steals in 23.4 mpg. In her three ACC games, she is averaging 9.0 ppg and 5.5 rpg. She also had a career-high 17 pts. in the win over Maryland.
Double-Trouble
Chones has five double-doubles, 18 career double-doubles ... 13-15 games for her have been double-digit scoring performances ... Moody has scored in double-digits seven of the last 12, including her first season double-double against Florida ... Labador has netted double-digits seven of the last 11 games ... James has earned seven double-digit games this season ... McDowell took home her first double-double and has two double-digit scoring performances ... Simpson earned her first double-digit outing this season against Florida, while Mendeng achieved her first double-digit against Seton Hall, netting 13 points, she now has two after a season-high 17 against Maryland. Bailey also has one with her 12 points against Maryland.
Ooh-wee it's Millie
SR G Amelia Labador ("Millie") has been raising a few eye-brows this season as she brings her shooting range and tenacious defense to the lineup. She has contributed in other ways as well, posting seven double-digit performances in her 11 consecutive starts. She recorded a double-double in the Pack's win over East Carolina earlier this season and has been close other times to achieving the same result. She is averaging 8.9 ppg and 3.0 rpg as a guard and has 13 steals. Labador is second on the team in assists with 37. She also ranks third in the ACC in 3-pt. pct., 17-45 (.378) and 11th in 3-ptrs. made with 17 (1.13 pg).
The Honorable Ms. Chones
Redshirt junior Kaayla Chones, who just one year ago took home two ACC honors returns as a starting forward/center. The redshirt was named second team All-ACC and second team All-ACC tournament last season after leading the NC State squad with 12.3 ppg and 7.0 rpg. Chones was ranked in the ACC's top five in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and blocked shots. She scored in double figures 18 times in 2002 and 12 times this season and has tallied 18 career double-doubles. Also, she poured in 31 points for a career-high against Georgia Tech, Jan. 6, 2002. She is on pace to reach 1,000 points this season, after scoring 330 and 357 her freshman and r-sophomore years. For her career, she has 563 rebounds. So far this year she has scored in double-digits 13-15 games, including a team-high 25 versus No. 25 UC Santa Barbara. She currently leads the team in scoring average and rebounds per game with 15.9 ppg and 8.7 rpg and has four, 20-pt. games.
* Chones leads the ACC in career double-doubles with 18 ... she also leads the nine-team conference in defensive rebounds with 6.87 a game ... is second in rebounds at 8.7 pg ... fourth in two categories, including field goal pct. with 55.3 and blocks at 1.53 pg ... fifth in scoring with 15.9 ppg.
Going For A Grand
Three Wolfpack Women will be shooting for 1,000 career points this season. Moody, Chones and Simpson are on pace to reach the grand mark. Chones needs 75 points, Moody needs 95 and Simpson needs 217. There are 16 former Wolfpackers who have scored 1,000 or more points in their careers. Leading the list is Trudy Lacey with 1,957 points. Genia Beasley is NC State's all-time leading scorer with 2,367 points from 1977-1980. All told, the Wolfpack Women have seen 20 former players pass through Reynolds and score more than 1,000 points.
Around the ACC
* Maryland at Virginia was the only ACC game played on Sunday.
* Two teams remain in the AP Poll, Duke is still holding strong at No. 1, while North Carolina moved up to 8th.
* Duke remains unbeaten at 16-0, while UNC moved up to second at 15-1. UNC has five ACC wins, leading the other eight teams and leads the ACC at 5-0. Georgia Tech is the only team in the ACC without a conference win (0-4).
* Alana Beard earned her sixth ACC Player of the Week, breaking the record of five held by NC State's Chasity Melvin. It's Beard's 12th honor. UNC's La'Tangela Atkinson earned her third ACC Rookie of the Week nod.
* Duke has won 16 consecutive games, while North Carolina is close behind with 12-straight victories.
* The ACC collectively is 74-25 (.747) in non-conference games thus far, including 44-9 at home, 13-14 on the road and 17-2 in tournament play.
* Other Monday games include: Duke at North Carolina (ESPN2) at noon ... Georgia Tech at Florida State, 4:30.
9 Double O
Kay Yow coached her 900th career game on Saturday, Dec. 7. NC State was victorious for the 28-year head coach, as it went on to defeat Florida 81-77. Only three other coaches have such longevity: Jody Conradt, Sue Gunter and Pat Summitt. Going for 1,000, she has 908 and counting.
In Case You Haven't Heard
With Coach Yow's induction into the Hall of Fame, NC State becomes just the second NCAA school in history to have both a men's and women's basketball coach in the Hall. Yow joins the legendary Everett Case, who was NC State's head coach from 1946-65 and finished with a record of 377-134. He was enshrined on May 3, 1982. UCLA was the first school to be recognized in such a way. Both John Wooden and Billie Moore are in the Hall.
Heads Up, Hall of Fame on the Way
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame will be coming to Reynolds Coliseum on Friday, Feb. 7, (North Carolina game) with a traveling display of the newly remodeled Hall of Fame. NC State will honor Coach Yow by raising a Hall of Fame Banner immediately following the game.
RPI Rankings
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association(WBCA)/Summerville RPI rankings have NC State at the No. 47, while it remains in the top 10 at No. 7 in strength of schedule. Duke leads all ACC schools at No. 5 RPI and 81 SofS. Four ACC schools are ranked above NC State in RPI, among those is UNC just below Duke at No. 6 with a strength of schedule at 44. Georgia Tech is 35th in RPI and 45th in SofS. Clemson finishes the group coming at 38th and 54th in SofS. Wake Forest looms with a ranking of 50th in RPI and a strength of schedule at 73rd. The conference is second in the nation in RPI. Just three teams remain unbeaten, UConn and Duke at 15-0 and LSU at 14-0.
Four Sign to National Letter of Intent
Four players - LaKeisha Brown (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Christian), Marquetta Dickens (Tarboro, N.C./Tarboro HS), Kamela Gissendanner (Clairton, Pa./Clairton HS) and Ashley Key (Atlanta, Ga./Landmark Christian) signed national letters of intent to play for NC State beginning in the 2003-04 season.
NC State to Host NCAA First and Second Rounds
NC State has been selected as one of 16 sites for the 2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship. Reynolds Coliseum will host the four teams for the two-day event, Sunday, March 23 and Tuesday, March 25. The ESPN network will be televising all three games.
The Wolfpack Slate
On the docket for the Wolfpack are 10 teams that advanced to the first round of the 2002 NCAA Tournament, including Virginia, Clemson, Florida, Iowa, UC Santa Barbara, Brigham Young, North Carolina, Old Dominion, Duke and Connecticut. Four ACC teams advanced. Up to this point, the Pack is 2-4 against the 10 teams. Only four games remain to be played against the NCAA caliber competitors. Virginia, Clemson and Florida were knocked out in the first round. UCSB and Iowa were eliminated in the Round of 32. UNC and BYU fell in the Sweet 16. ODU dropped out after the Elite 8. Duke advanced to the Final Four, while Connecticut became the National Champion.
Head Coach Kay Yow
One of the most admired and respected coaches on the international and collegiate basketball scene, Coach Kay Yow was elected for enshrinement into the Basketball Hall of Fame on June 5, 2002. She has amassed over 568 wins in her 27 years at the helm of the NC State women's basketball program, including a trip to the Final Four in Kansas City in 1998. She eclipsed the 600-win milestone for her career on Jan. 11, 2001 with a win over Temple in front of the Wolfpack faithful in Reynolds Coliseum. She currently ranks as the fifth winningest active Division I women's basketball coach with 625 career victories. Yow celebrated her 25th season as the head coach at NC State and Sunday, February 13, 2000 was proclaimed 'Kay Yow Day' in Raleigh by Mayor Paul Coble. In addition to being honored with the John and Nellie Wooden Award, Yow was named the 2000 National Coach of the Year by Sports Illustrated for Women. On June 10, 2000, Yow was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tenn. She was part of just the second class to be inducted into the Hall. In addition to these accomplishments, Yow notched her 19th 20-win season in 2001 and led the Wolfpack Women to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh straight year. Yow led the Pack to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the 10th time in her tenure. NC State was once again ranked in the top-25 the entire season. Yow has been very successful in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Her squads are 232-119 in 25 years of play in one of the toughest conferences in the country. NC State has reached the finals in 11 of the 25 ACC Tournaments and captured the league title in 1980, 1985, 1987, and 1991. The Wolfpack also won the regular season ACC title in 1978, 1980, 1983, 1985 and 1990. The 1991-92 team was a high-powered offensive team, setting 13 team records, including the highest scoring average ever by a Wolfpack squad, netting an average of 91.0 points in 33 games. In her 27 years at the helm of the Wolfpack program, Yow has produced a number of great players, including 12 All-Americans and 38 All-ACC selections. In 1999, Summer Erb became the second player in the history of the program to be named the ACC Player of the Year. Numerous Wolfpack players have competed on international squads, including the U.S. Select team, Pan American, World University, and the Jones Cup. Eight of her former players have advanced to compete in the WNBA. The Wolfpack were represented by four former players in the 2001 WNBA Finals. In 2002, Coach Yow received the Star Award from the Women's Center of Wake County. The award was presented to her by last year's recipient, Chancellor Marye Anne Fox. The award is given to recognize the achievements of individuals in the corporate community whose actions have made a positive impact on the lives of women and their families in the community.
Yow Career Highlights
* Recorded first win at NC State, 68-64 vs Charleston, Jan.10, 1976
* Won school's first ACC game, 84-82 against Clemson, Jan. 27, 1976
* In the ACC's first year, NC State claimed the league title in 1978
* Recorded 100th victory at NC State with 98-764 win over Mississippi
* Won first ACC Championship in 1980
* Played in first NCAA game, defeating Northwestern 75-71 March 13, 1982
* Won 100th ACC game with 62-61 victory over Wake Forest, Feb. 18, 1988
* Earned 500th career win with 68-63 victory over Georgia Tech, Jan. 15, 1996
* Directed the Pack to its first NCAA Final Four appearance, March 27, 1998
* Won 500th game at NC State in a 66-57 decision over New Hampshire, making her the third coach to reach such a milestone, Dec. 28, 1998
* Became the second coach to reach 200 ACC victories with an 85-60 win at Wake Forest, Jan. 24, 1999
* Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, June 10, 2000
* Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Sept. 27, 2002
* Will have coached 900 career games, Dec. 7, 2002
* Has 19, 20-win seasons, 7th in the NCAA
* Coached 31 seasons at the Division I level, third in the NCAA
* Currently has four former players in the WNBA
