North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Continues Streak, Defeats Esperipes 71-54
5/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
May 27, 2004
ATHENS, Greece - NC State women's basketball is 2-0 after a 71-54 victory over host Esperipes BBC on Thursday, May 27. The Wolfpack erased a 12-point deficit after sophomore Ashley Key tallied all of her 17 team-leading points in the second half, which included three, three pointers. Sophomore Marquetta Dickens also added 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
The Pack struggled a bit early on, letting Esperipes take a 12-point lead after the Pack suffered through a scoring drought of four and half minutes in the second quarter. NC State perserved however and made the necessary adjustments from that point on. Dickens netted two free throws at the 5:22 mark to the end the scoreless streak for the Wolfpack. A layup from sophomore Sasha Reaves and back-to-back jumpers from junior Monica Pope put the Pack back on track and sparked a 10-2 run down the stretch. NC State was down just 31-27 at the half.
The second half was all NC State as the Pack held Esperipes to just two field goals and two free throws in the third quarter and outscored them 21-6. Key tallied nine quick points and Dickens added five as the Wolfpack counted up 21 points. Esperipes didn't score until the 6:10 mark, on a free throw, and added another four minutes later. The Greek Club team managed two more field goals. The NC State lead grew to 12 at one point before ending the period with a 10-point spread, 48-38.
NC State continued to control the game and recorded 23 points in the final quarter, the most either team had produced in the contest. The Wolfpack scored continuosly in this period and took nine points from the arc as Key hit two, three pointers and Dickens added one. Dickens also went a perfect 4-of-4 from the line. The Pack again outscored Esperipes, 23-16 this time.
For NC State, junior Kendra Bell dished out a team-high eight assists to go along with three steals and six points. Billie McDowell had three steals as well in her first outing.
The Wolfpack will face the Greek National team tomorrow, Friday, May 28 at 7 p.m. The team will play the international team again on Sunday.
Note: Tonight's game was played using 4, 10-minute quarters.
Stats:
Stockdale: 7 pts., 6 reb., 4 assists
Brown: 4 pts., 4 reb.
Reaves: 10 pts., 4 reb.
Pope: 6 pts., 2 assists
Dickens: 17 pts., 7 rebs.
McDowell: 3 steals, 3 reb.
Key: 17 pts., 2 steals
Filipowski: 4 pts., 1 reb.
Bell: 6 pts., 8 assists, 3 steals
