North Carolina State University Athletics
Women's Hoops: A Look Back, A Look Forward
6/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
June 21, 2004
RALEIGH, N.C. -
Complete Release in PDF Format
2003-04 Season Stats in PDF Format
Wolfpack Celebrates 30 Years
NC State women's basketball held its 30th annual awards banquet on Sunday, April 25, in NC State's McKimmon Center. Each year the program holds the banquet to honor the team, its achievements and those who have supported the program. To top the numerous awards received by the players and others, head coach Kay Yow named the team's Most Valuable and Most Outstanding Player Award recipient. This year, both awards went to senior Kaayla Chones. The "Peanut Doak" Rookie of the Year Award went to Marquetta Dickens and junior Kendra Bell and freshman Sasha Reaves both garnered the Most Improved Award. Bell also received the coveted Coaches Award. In addition to honoring NC State's four seniors, Chones, Terah James, Alvine Mendeng and Nanna Rivers for their contributions throughout their careers, Yow gave special recognition to another member of the Wolfpack family for her 10 years of dedication. Associate head coach Stephanie Glance became NC State's most tenured assistant coach after completing her 10th season following the 2003-04 year. Below is a season review capsule, a listing of team and player achievements and individual awards received by the players.
To The Point
Women's basketball finished its 2003-04 season with one of the best turnarounds in its history and in the nation. After beginning the ACC season with a winless 0-5 record, NC State went on to win nine of its last 13 games to earn its 17th trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Pack entered as a 10th seed to take on the seventh seeded Auburn. Despite the loss in the first round, NC State's winning record of 17-15 ended a two-year losing streak and was head coach Kay Yow's 25th winning season. Along the way, Yow became the first women's basketball ACC coach to tally 650 career wins. Led by senior center Kaayla Chones' 14.8 ppg, NC State finished third in the ACC with an 8-8 record after a preseason predicted finish of sixth.
Team Highlights
* NCAA First Round, 10th seed, lost to seventh seeded Auburn, 79-59
Individual Highlights
* Head coach Kay Yow completed her 25th winning season with her 17th NCAA postseason appearance. She also surpassed the 650 career win mark, becoming the first ACC women's basketball coach to do so.
* Senior Kaayla Chones led the team all season in scoring and rebounding with averages of 14.8 ppg and 7.7 rpg. She became NC State's sixth all-time rebounder with 894 boards and 11th all-time scorer with 1,538 points. Chones was a Kodak/WBCA All-America Semifinalist after being named a region 2 selection.
* Senior captain Nanna Rivers became just the second NC State player to earn ACC All-Defensive team honors.
* Senior Kaayla Chones was drafted 15th overall in the 2004 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics. She became the 10th NC State player to play in the WNBA since its inception in 1997.
2003-04 Individual Honors and Team Voted Honors
Kaayla Chones
First Team All-ACC
Second Team All-ACC Tournament
Kodak/WBCA All-America Semifinalist
WBCA Preseason Wade Trophy Candidate
Nanna Rivers ACC All-Defensive Team
Chones WNBA Bound
Senior center Kaayla Chones was selected 15th overall and second in the second round by the Washington Mystics. The Pepper Pike, Ohio native was the Wolfpack's 13th all-time leading scorer (1,538 points) and sixth all-time leading rebounder (894). She finished her illustrious career as a Kodak/WBCA All-America Regional Semifinalist after leading NC State to its 17th NCAA Tournament appearance and was a three-time All-ACC honoree (including a first team selection this season) and two-time All-ACC Tournament award winner. Chones follows the footsteps of her father, Jim Chones, who was selected as the first overall pick in the 1972 ABA Draft and went on to play in the NBA as well. She also becomes NC State's 10th WNBA player. The 6-3 center joins former Wolfpack standout forward Chasity Melvin, who was selected by the Mystics in the dispersal draft earlier this year, after the Cleveland Rockers terminated its WNBA membership.
Yow Got One
NC State head coach Kay Yow needed just one more win to reach 650 for her career. And she earned it against Clemson on Feb. 12 after 95 games played. She picked up her 600th win Jan. 29, 2001 against Florida State at home. She was the first ACC coach to reach that mark. Yow has 653 wins.
Wolfpack Signs Four to National Letter of Intent
Celanese Bozeman (Hampton, Va./Hampton HS), Tiffany McCollins (Memphis, Tenn./Univ. of Arkansas-Fort Smith), Tiffany Stansbury (Philadelphia, Pa./Gulf Coast Community College) and Khadijah Whittington (Pourtsmouth, Va./Woodrow Wilson HS) all signed letters of intent to play for NC State beginning in the 2004-05 season. At 5-10 Bozeman, is currently ranked 66th nationally overall and fifth by position as scouted by All Star Girls Report. McCollins is one of two transfers joining the team. Stansbury is the second of the two junior transfers entering the 2004-05 line-up. The forward is a two-year started at Gulf Coast Community College and is coming off a 2003 National Championship. As a freshman, the 6-3 post earned Panhandle All-Conference after averaging 11.5 ppg and 8.4 rpg and was named to the JCAA All-Tournament team. Whittington stands at 6-1 and can play at both the forward and guard positions. She is currently ranked 19th in the nation by Blue Star Basketball. She was a member of the USA East team that won the gold medal in the USA Women's Youth Development Festival. In addition, she was recently selected as one of 18, 18-and-under Women to participate in the USA Basketball Women's Junior National Team Trials, set for June 20-23 in the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
That Makes 17
The Wolfpack was one of 33 at-large bids of the 64-member field. The Pack enters the NCAA tournament with a 17-16 overall record after 16 previous appearances. NC State has not been to the tournament since advancing to the regionals back in 2001. The one and only other time NC State has been selected as a 10 seed was in 1999 when the squad advanced to the second round in Lubbock, Texas. NC State is tied for 10th all-time in NCAA appearances with the 16 since 1982. Only nine other teams since that first tournament have had more selections.
That is Big Time
NC State picked up 11 wins against Top 100 RPI teams. Those wins include (from lowest to highest RPI): UNC- 29, Maryland-49, Florida State-52, Clemson 46 (2x), Georgia Tech-58, Virginia 63, Loyola Marymount-66, East Carolina 85 and Wake Forest 100. Two of the nine were from outside of the ACC.
Losing Streak Ended
For the past two seasons, NC State had finished with a losing record. But thanks to an ACC turnaround, NC State ended that streak with its 17-14 finish and 9-8 ACC record. The 2000-01 season was the last time NC State had both a winning overall record and eight wins in conference play. Coincidentally that was also the last time the Wolfpack went to the NCAA Tournament.
How It Ended
The Pack ended its 2003-04 ACC season with an ACC Tournament semifinals loss to No. 10 North Carolina, 75-64. NC State had defeated Clemson in the quarterfinals, 45-43. NC State lost its last two regular season games, including a loss at Georgia Tech, 61-76 and to No. 2 Duke at home on March 1, 90-57.
Where It Rates
NC State finished third in the ACC standings after making its historical turnaround. It was the first time since 2000-01 the Pack finished among the top three teams. Since 1977, the ACC's first year of play, NC State has finished third or higher, 17 times in 27 years.
You'll Be Missed, But
The Wolfpack graduated four offensive producers last season with Chones, Rivers, Mendeng and James all departing. The foursome accounted for 1,009 points, 47 percent of the Pack's total point production. However, NC State does return senior point guard Kendra Bell and the shooting talents of junior Rachel Stockdale. Bell took over point guard duties last season and started all but one of her 30 appearances. She dished out 3.38 apg in ACC play last year, ranked among the conference's top leaders. After sitting out her sophomore year in 2002-03, Stockdale returned last season to start nine of the 13 ACC games to hit 40 percent from the three-point arc.
Jimmy V On the Way
NC State will once again host the Women's Jimmy V Classic at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C. The third-annual two game classic is set for Nov. 21, 2004. Participating teams and times will be announced at a later date.
European Flavor
NC State spent 10 days in Rome, Italy and Athens, Greece May 21-31 and played four games, which included two agains the Greek National team that will represent Greece in the Olympics this summer. The team suited up nine players and won two of the four contests. Despite falling both times to the national team, the Wolfpack acclimated well to the more aggressive style of play and the fast-paced action. With an international set of rules to deal with as well, the Pack returned to the US, stronger, quicker and more aggressive than prior to the trip. The scores were: NC State 77, G.S. Palestrina 76; NC State 71, Esperipes BBC 54; GRN 66, NC State 65; GRN 96, NC State 90. Sophomore Ashley Key was the leading scorer in 3-of-4 games.
Team Voted Awards
Freshmen
Sasha Reaves Team Voted: Preseason Award, Team Voted: Most Improved, Rex Healthcare Player of the Game (One Time)
Marquetta Dickens Team Voted: Peanut Doak Rookie Of The Year, Iron Wolf Award, Rex Healthcare Player of the Game (Six Times) Ashley Key San Juan Shootout All-Tournament Team, Rex Healthcare Player of the Game (Three Times)
Jennifer Filipowski Silver Bowl Award, Team Voted: Best Team Supporter (Non-Starter), Team Voted: 110% Effort Award, BEM Award
Sophomores
Billie McDowell Team Voted: Best Team Supporter (Non-Starter), Rex Healthcare Player of the Game (Two Times)
Rachel Stockdale Best 3-Point Field Goal Percentage, NCAA Player of the Game (Auburn), Rex Healthcare Player of the Game (Three Times)
Juniors
Kendra Bell Team Voted: Most Improved, Rex Healthcare Player of the Game (Three Times)
Seniors
Kaayla Chones First Team All-ACC, Second Team All-ACC Tournament, Kodak/WBCA All-America Semifinalist, WBCA Preseason Wade Trophy Candidate, Team Voted: Best Offensive Player, Team Voted: Most Valuable Player Award, Team Voted: Most Outstanding Player Award, ACC Player of the Week (February 9), FoxSports Net Player of the Game (at UNC-CH), Aeropostale Player of the Game (ACC Tourney), San Juan Shootout All-Tournament, Best Field Goal Percentage, Most Minutes, Most Double-Doubles (8), Most Rebounds, Most Defensive Rebounds, Most Steals, Most Blocked Shots, Rex Hospital Player Of The Game (Twelve Times)
Terah James G-WIS Community Outreach Award, Most Minutes Played, Rex Healthcare Player of the Game (Three Times)
Alvine Mendeng Best Free Throw Percentage, Most Offensive Rebounds, Rex Hospital Player Of The Game (One Time)
Nanna Rivers Team Captain, All-ACC Defensive Team, Team Voted: PreSeason Award, Team Voted: Best Team Supporter (Starter), Team Voted: Most Outstanding Leader, Off Season Award, Best Assist to Turnover Ratio, Rex Healthcare Player of the Game (One Time)
