North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Wins in Exhibition Play, 81-79 Versus Premier Players
11/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 16, 2003
RALEIGH, NC -
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NC State women's basketball defeated the Premier Players, 81-79, in its only exhibition game of the 2003-04 docket, held Sunday, Nov. 16, in Reynolds Coliseum. Three NC State players finished with double-figures, including a game-high 20 from senior Kaayla Chones and two with double-doubles, senior Alvine Mendeng (13 points, 14 rebounds) and freshman Keisha Brown (13 points, 10 rebounds). Jemeka Jones and Tere Williams, who each finished with 18 points, led the Premier Players.
"I think we showed that we have a number of people on our team now that can shoot the ball and we have numbers," said NC State head coach Kay Yow. "We're in a better situation with point guards and shooters this year. The thing we have to work on now is our defense. We have a lot of young players in the lineup and a lot of different combinations."
With the largest roster since 1976-77, Yow and the Wolfpack took to the court for their only exhibition game of the season. The end result was a slim 81-79 lead by NC State as the clocked ticked to zero. With the opportunity to see how such a deep roster would play together, Yow strung together a few options and took a look to see what worked. Chones, along with Mendeng and Brown accounted for 46 of the Pack's 81 total points, which is more than half. That same group collected 31 of the team's 53 total rebounds.
"I think they did a good job," said Yow. "Keisha, as a freshman, had a great opening game; the same with Alvine. Both of them earned double-doubles. Kaayla had a great shooting game for us and ran the floor well all night. I think that front line really stepped up for us big time."
NC State took a close lead into the break at 36-34 after Chones knocked down two free throws with just under 24 seconds remaining. Her two free throws were the only two she made in the half, but those two proved to keep the Pack on top. She led NC State with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting. In addition to Brown, the other freshmen made the most of their debut as well. Marquetta Dickens, a Tarboro, N.C. native, grabbed three boards, hit a three-pointer and assisted once in her first five minutes. Ashley Key snatched two boards, one offensive and one defensive, and gave one assist in four minutes. Brown finished with six caroms, one assist and four points in her 17 minutes. Sophomore Billie McDowell knocked down back-to-back three-pointers, helping her to a solid opening finish with six points, one rebound and two steals.
The second half saw much of the same as NC State continued to get to the boards and take shots both inside and out. Unlike the first however in which the Premier Players kept the game interesting when it traded for the lead five times within the first six minutes, NC State commanded the game and came out with an eight-point lead due to the play of Brown and Mendeng. Later, senior Terah James took a three with just under five minutes to go to help the Pack take a six-point lead as NC State led 71-65. She finished with seven points, one steal, one assist and two rebounds. Senior captain Nanna Rivers led the Pack with five assists, which added to her nine points and three rebounds.
NC State opens the regular season next Friday, Nov. 21, at 6:30 p.m., versus Loyola Marymount. The game will precede the men's home opener at the RBC Center versus UNC Ashville. LMU is also beginning its regular season with the tip at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C.
