North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Prepares for Hurricanes
1/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 19, 2005
RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State women's basketball is coming off its second upset victory of the season after defeating No. 23 Virginia Tech 76-75 in overtime on Monday, Jan. 17. With the win, NC State improved to 13-4 overall and 2-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. NC State will host new ACC foe, Miami, at 7 p.m. in Reynolds Coliseum on Thursday, Jan. 20. The Hurricanes have lost their last three games, for an ACC record of 0-3. Overall Miami is 8-8 on the year.
The Wolfpack had all five starters finish in double figures against the Hokies, led by senior Kendra Bell and sophomore Marquetta Dickens' 14 points. Junior Tiffany Stansbury leads the team in scoring and rebounding with 11.1 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game. Junior Billie McDowell has hit 34.4 percent of three-point attempts and is second in scoring with 10.2 ppg. Bell leads the team with 2.71 assists per game. Bell has finished in double figures the last three games and is averaging 8.2 ppg. The Pack is ranked in the NCAA Top 50 in five categories, including scoring margin (27th, 13.4), steals per game (29th, 11.8), turnovers per game (35th, 15.2), scoring defense (36th, 55.6) and won-lost percentage (37th, 76.5). Individually, Stansbury is 29th in the nation for field goal percentage at 55.1 percent and squeaked in this past week after tallying six blocks against VaTech, is 49th, 2.0 bpg.
The Miami Hurricanes are 8-8 and 0-3 in conference play and have lost all three consecutively. The Canes are coming off an 83-52 loss at No. 9 North Carolina on Monday. Prior to its recent three-game losing streak, Miami had won five-straight and still own a respectable 7-1 record in Miami. The Canes have not had such fortune on the road, still winless after six games. Junior forward Tamara James is the team's leading scorer and rebounder. Her 23.7 ppg leads the conference and she is also hauling in an average of 6.9 boards per appearance. James also leads her team in field goal percentage (51.2) and three-point percentage (33.3, 25-75). Senior guard Yalonda McCormick leads the team in assists with 90 total, or 5.75.6 apg.
Ferne Labati has been at the helm of the Miami Hurricanes for the last 17 years. In that time she has posted a record of 298-187 (.614). She spent a combined nine seasons at Fairleigh Dickenson and Trenton before arriving at Miami. After 26 seasons she is 436-309 (.585). Yow owns a record of 666-304 (.687) and is 609-285 (.683) in her 30 years at NC State. Yow leads the all-time series with Miami, 3-0, but is 1-0 against Labati.
The Wolfpack leads the all-time series, 3-0 and is 2-0 at home. NC State and Miami last met on the Orange Bowl Fab Four on Dec. 19, 1999. The Wolfpack came away with an 80-60 win. Prior to that encounter, NC State and Miami had met twice in the 1980s. The Pack won both times, scoring victories of 60-54 on Nov. 26, 1983 and 97-50 on Jan. 16, 1981.
