North Carolina State University Athletics
NC States Shoots Past Saint Joseph's, 78-57
12/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
RALEIGH, N.C. – Three players scored in double figures, including 14 points by Ashley Key, to lead NC State to a 78-57 win over Saint Joseph’s in non-conference women’s basketball action on Wednesday night at Reynolds Coliseum.
Key led NC State (9-2) to its sixth-straight win by converting 4-of-7 shots, dishing out five assists, having zero turnovers and coming up with two blocks. Khadijah Whittington had 11 points and seven boards, while Gillian Goring tossed in a season-high 10 points in 16 minutes off the bench.
NC State shot a season-best 52.5 percent (32-of-61) from the floor.
Jen Oyler led Saint Joseph’s (5-5) with 16 points off the bench, while Ayahna Cornish had 15 points for the Hawks.
After a dominating first half by NC State, the visiting Hawks got back in the game with an 11-0 run that began in the late stages of the opening half and continued in the opening 2:23 of the second half. All toll, Saint Joseph’s got within six points, 41-35, on a layup by Whitney Ffrench at the 17:37 mark of the second half.
It was a five point, 43-38, contest, when five straight points, including a conventional three-point play by Key put the Pack back up 10, 48-38. From that point a pair of quick runs put NC State comfortably in control.
A 6-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Key, made it 56-40 with 12:39 to go. Later in the half, a 12-0 spurt made it 70-45 and the Wolfpack were well on its way to a 25th straight win at Reynolds against non-conference opponents.
“It was great to see us shoot the ball well in both halves,” said interim head coach Stephanie Glance. It has been a goal of us to shoot 50-percent in a game and we did that tonight.”
The Wolfpack put together its best first-half shooting performance of the year to take a 41-28 lead into halftime. NC State shot 55.9 percent (19-for-34), while Saint Joseph’s converted only 39.1 percent (9-for-23) of its attempts.
Nikitta Gartrell and Shayla Fields each scored six points in the opening six minutes to give NC State a 16-2 advantage. Later in the half, Sharnice Beal converted a nifty layup and was fouled on the play. She knocked down the insuing free throw and the lead was 27-14 with 7:33 to go.
The lead later ballooned to 18 points after consecutive fast-break layups by Sasha Reaves and Keisha Brown made it 37-19 at the 4:20 mark.
The Hawks would get within 13 points, 37-24, on a three-pointer by Oyler at the 3:19 mark, but Chanita Jordan’s first-ever collegiate basket, a layup, put the Pack up 41-24.
Marquetta Dickens scored eight points in the opening 20 minutes to lead NC State, while Olyer had 11 first-half points off the bench for the Hawks.
“I think it was one of our best games that we have had, first half and second half,’ said Whittington. “We pulled them both together. I think we played like we know how to play. It was just the fact of pulling it all together. Maybe were a little more focused with school being out.”
NC State gets right back to action Friday afternoon at 1 pm against Lehigh at Reynolds Coliseum.
Pack Points
NC State improves to 5-1 all-time against SJU…The Pack held a commanding lead in Points in the Paint (46-14) and Points off Turnovers (32-11)…The Hawks had 21 turnovers, including nine by Ffrench…NC State has won seven straight home games to open the year for the fourth time in school history and the second straight year.
