NC State
Arkansas State University
No. 23 NC State Defeats Arkansas State, 80-59
12/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 18, 2005
LAS VEGAS - Led by Billie McDowell's 17 points and nine assists, No. 23 NC State (7-3), knocked off Arkansas State (5-5), 80-59 in the third place game of the Duel in the Desert, Sunday, Dec. 18. The Wolfpack also saw two players finish with double-doubles, including sophomore Khadijah Whittington, who finished with 13 points and a career-high 19 rebounds. Junior Gillian Goring added a season-best 14 points and 10 boards. Arkansas State's Adrianne Davie led all scorers with 18 points to go along with 10 rebounds. The Pack travels to Provo, Utah to face the undefeated Brigham Young Cougars on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 7 p.m. BYU is 8-0 and is off to its best start in school history.
NC State got up by as many as 12 points in the first half but allowed Arkansas State to regroup midway through the period. ASU pulled within four points entering half time. NC State held the double figure lead until ASU's Katie Caraway hit a jumper with 7:41 to go. The Indians then used a 7-0 run to cut the difference and get within one point at 33-32 with 4:30 left. McDowell hit one of her three three-pointers and senior Tiffany Stansbury hit a free throw to keep the Wolfpack on top. The free throw was the last point NC State could muster in the final four minutes prior to the break. Stansbury had 10 of her 14 total points to pace the Wolfpack in the half and Whittington added eight points to along with nine rebounds. Goring came off the bench to net four points, six rebounds and two blocks in her six minutes of action.
After not posting a field goal in the final four minutes of the first half, it took NC State another minute and 45 seconds to break the spell. Senior Monica Pope hit a baseline three pointer near the Wolfpack bench to awaken the offense. The Pack continued to shoot well, not topping its 53.3 percent performance in the first half, but coming close with 50 percent from the floor. Solid shooting allowed NC State to stretch its lead to 18 with just under 12 minutes to go, 59-41. ASU once again tried to rally to cut its deficit and came within 11 points with four minutes remaining, but NC State's Goring hit the Wolfpack's last four field goals in the final three minutes to give the Pack's its largest lead of the game with a 21-point margin. She finished the game with 14 points and added five blocks. Whittington grabbed 10 boards and five points in the second half, which provided enough stats for her third double of the season and fifth of her two-year career. McDowell finished with nine assists, including six in the second half along, mostly coming off of a direct feed into Goring at the low block.
NC State travels to Provo, Utah for a 7 p.m. game against the undefeated Brigham Young Cougars on Wednesday, Dec. 21, before heading back to Raleigh for the Christmas holiday. Following the break, NC State will return to game action when it hosts George Washington on Friday, Dec. 30, at 2 p.m.
Notes: NC State also posted a season-best 50 rebounds and 34 field goals made, but also had a season-high 21 fouls and 22 turnovers.
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