North Carolina State University Athletics
MTSU-NC State AP Preview
3/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
GAME: No. 12 Middle Tennessee State (23-8) vs. No. 5 North Carolina State (21-7).
REGIONAL: Philadelphia, first round.
TIME: Saturday, 7 p.m. EST.
SITE: Reunion Arena, Dallas.
North Carolina State has dealt with some adversity this season. Now, however, it's ready to try to make a run in the NCAA tournament.
The fifth-seeded Wolfpack look to advance past the first round for the first time in four years when they face 12th-seeded Middle Tennessee State in the first round of the Philadelphia Regional.
The Wolfpack finished third in the ACC and recorded their first 20-win regular season since 2000. They lost 63-56 to Maryland in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament March 5, but earned an at-large berth to the NCAA field.
N.C. State faced it toughest test in January with the recurrence of coach Kay Yow's breast cancer. Yow, originally diagnosed in 1987, missed two games while undergoing treatment.
"Everybody associated with our team had a challenging year due to my illness and the time I had to spend away from the team," said Yow, who won her 600th game this season. "They just have had a lot of pressure and stress upon them and they responded with an A-plus.
"I already knew to treasure every moment ... Everything I learned from the first (illness), it's just been reconfirmed once again. I'm extremely grateful to have my health and be going to this tournament and to be on my way to recovery."
The Wolfpack had won six of seven before their loss to the Terrapins. Kendra Bell scored 15 points and Tiffany Stansbury added 11 for N.C. State.
"We needed another perimeter play to really step up for us and hit some shots," Yow said.
The Wolfpack made the NCAA tournament last season for the first time since 2001, when they reached the third round. N.C. State earned a No. 10 seed last year and was knocked out in the first round, falling 79-59 to Auburn.
Middle Tennessee is also making its second straight trip to the NCAA tournament. Last year, the Lady Raiders became just the third No. 13 seed to win a first-round game when they knocked off North Carolina 67-62.
"I think every experience prepares you, and last year really helped our team. We will not go into this game timid and not knowing what to expect," coach Stephany Smith said. "We've been there and know what it is all about."
Middle Tennessee beat Louisiana-Lafayette 67-52 in the Sun Belt tournament championship March 8 to earn its bid to this year's tournament. Chrissy Givens added a career-high 18 points and Patrice Holmes added 14 for the Lady Raiders, who return three starters from last season's squad in Holmes, Krystle Horton and Tia Stovall.
"We know we have the people to win a game in the NCAA tournament," said Holmes, voted the Sun Belt Conference tournament's most outstanding player for the third straight year.
Middle Tennessee also faced some adversity this season. Two likely starters and a projected key reserve left the program before Thanksgiving, forcing the team to ask Ciara Gray to rejoin the club after she'd already become a student coach because of repeated injuries.
Gray scored 11 points in 30 minutes in the Sun Belt title game despite re-injuring her right knee the day before.
"It's been a long, uphill climb to get to the point where we are," Smith said.
Saturday's game will be the first meeting between Middle Tennessee and North Carolina State.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Middle Tennessee State - F Horton (11.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg), F Stovall (13.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg), G Holmes (14.9 ppg, 3.7 apg), G Givens (10.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg), G Gray (4.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg). North Carolina State - F Marquetta Dickens (8.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg), C Stansbury (11.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg), G Billie McDowell (11.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg), G Ashley Key (8.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg), G Bell (7.4 ppg, 2.9 apg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Middle Tennessee State - Automatic bid, Sun Belt Conference tournament champion. North Carolina State - At-large berth, ACC.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Middle Tennessee State - 3-8, 9 years. North Carolina State - 17-17, 18 years.
