North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State to Host Fordham on Sunday
12/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 9, 2004
RALEIGH, N.C. -
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NC State women's basketball will look for its fifth -straight win and fourth at home this season when it hosts Fordham on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2 p.m. The Wolfpack is 5-1 entering the game, while Fordham will look to erase a three-game losing streak as it sits at 3-4 on the year. The meeting will mark the first time NC State and Fordham have crossed paths. The Wolfpack is 16-1 all-time versus the Atlantic 10 and 8-0 when hosting an A10 opponent. The last win and last loss both came against George Washington. NC State defeated GW at home on Nov. 20, 2001, 62-54. The Wolfpack lost to the Colonials in D.C. on Dec. 22, 1992, 85-79. NC State head coach Kay Yow is 3-0 all-time against Fordham head coach Jim Lewis. The two met three times before when Lewis was head coach at George Mason.
NC State has picked up its offensive production as of late, while not relinquishing any of its defense. After a three-game stretch of scoring less than 60 points, NC State has pulled away and increased it's scoring average. The Pack recorded 65 points in the win over Seton Hall and then set an ACC season-best result with 97 points in the win over UAB. The 97 points ties Wake Forest's output after its 97-58 win over Stetson. The Pack is ninth in the conference for scoring offense (65.6 ppg), but is second in scoring defense (50.8 ppg) after six non-conference games. Additionally, the 97 points was the most since a 99-45 win over Charleston Southern on Nov. 28, 2001.
Defensively, the Pack is just as strong. In addition to forcing 137 opponent turnovers, NC State has also limited the scoring of its foes. Currently the Pack is second in the ACC with fewest points allowed per game, an average of 50.8. The Pack had a season-high 24 steals against UNCW, the most of any other ACC team this season. And the team is second in ACC with steals per game, 12.83 or 77 total. NC State's turnover margin leads the ACC with a +9.50 as the Pack turns the ball over an average of 13.3 times per game, while it forces 22.8 from its opponents.
Individually, junior Tiffany Stansbury, has a team-high 11. 3 ppg, will lead NC State offensively. Teammates, junior Billie McDowell and sophomore Marquetta Dickens are also in double figures with 11.2 ppg and 10.2 ppg respectively. Stansbury leads the team in rebounds as well with an average of 8.2 rpg.
NC State made it into the national spotlight a bit, statistically speaking that is. The Pack is 12th in turnovers per game and 13th in scoring defense of the 324 schools reporting to the NCAA. NC State is also in the top 50 in four additional categories, including steals per game, win-loss percentage, scoring margin and blocks per game.
Fordham is coming off an 82-40 loss at No. 17 Boston College on Wednesday, Dec. 8. The loss marked the third straight and fourth this season for the Rams. Junior Vanessa Silva leads the team in scoring and rebounding with an average of 12.1 ppg and 6.7 rpg. Senior guard Kiely Donnelly has a team-best 26 assists. Fordham opened the season with a four-point loss to Manhattan 64-60 before going on a three-game winning streak that included wins over Providence, Dartmouth and Hofstra. In the last three games the Rams have not scored more than 60 points, including less than 50 the last two. Atlantic 10 Most Improved Player of the Year, Monica Mack, is second on the team in scoring with an average of 10.1 ppg and assists with 21 total. Head coach Jim Lewis is in his fifth season as head coach at Fordham and has compiled a 39-83 (.322) record in that time. For his career, Coach Lewis is 240-260 (.481) in 19 seasons.
NC State will hit the road for the first one-game road trip this season, with a Dec. 16, game at South Carolina. The Pack returns home for one game against NC A&T on Dec. 18, before finishing out the month on the road, beginning with a game at another A10 school, George Washington. After Christmas, NC State travels to the St. Peter's Classic in New Jersey for two games.
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