North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
Clemson University
Wolfpack Tops Clemson 78-69
2/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 16, 2006
CLEMSON, S.C. -- NC State women's basketball (16-9, 6-6 ACC) defeated Clemson (8-17, 2-9 ACC), 78-69 on Thursday, Feb. 16. Junior Ashley Key led all Wolfpack scorers with 18 points. She added seven rebounds a career-tying seven assists as well. Also, senior Tiffany Stansbury had 13 of her 17 points in the second half to help NC State earn its third-straight Atlantic Coast Conference win and end a four-game losing streak at Clemson, dating back to Jan. 24, 2002. The Pack hosts No. 4 Maryland (23-3, 10-2 ACC) on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 1 p.m. as part of "Hoops For Hope" in Reynolds Coliseum.
Junior Sasha Reaves posted six of the Wolfpack's first eight points and NC State held Clemson without a basket for nearly four minutes to open the first half. The Pack's lead grew to as many as six early, before Clemson's Carrie Whitehurst hit a three-pointer to cut it to 14-11, which was followed by another three-pointer from Julie Tally on the opposite side to knot the score at 14 with just under 12 minutes to play. NC State regained the lead midway through the half at 22-18 after back-to-back buckets from senior Tiffany Stansbury and a pair of free throw from junior Keisha Brown. The Pack held Clemson for three minutes without a field goal and in that time ran its lead to eight, 30-20, until the Tigers went on a 7-0 run to cut the Pack's lead to just one, 30-29 with three minutes left. Wolfpack sophomore Khadijah Whittington had eight of the Pack's 23 boards as they outrebounded Clemson's 12 caroms. A free throw by CU's Amanda Frist with 26.9 seconds remaining tied the score at 34 heading into halftime. Lloyd led all scorers with nine points, while Reaves led the Wolfpack with eight points. She would go on to finish with a career-high 15 points before the end of the game.
Clemson took a quick lead early in the second half, 40-37, but NC State used a 9-0 run to take back the offensive control and the lead, 46-40 with 15 minutes to play. Reaves once again worked inside for four points and hit a free throw to give her a new career high of 13 points. A three-pointer from senior Rachel Stockdale pushed the NC State lead to 12, its largest of the game to that point, 57-45 and senior Tiffany McCollins hit a running layup wit just over 12 minutes remaining. Clemson went on a 12-0 run to come within one point with just under three minutes to play, 70-69. CU's Susan Yenser hit two three-pointers and the Tigers connected on six free throws in that stretch. Clemson's defense also held the Pack without a field foal for over five minutes with the last NC State field goal coming from senior Tiffany Stansbury, who had 13 of her 17 points in the second half, at 7:21. She hit back-to-back layups to push the Pack ahead 74-69 with 1:20 to play.
The Wolfpack hosts No. 4 Maryland on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 1 p.m. in Reynolds Coliseum. The game marks the final home game for five Wolfpack seniors and is also a breast cancer awareness event, "Hoops For Hope". Doors open early at 11:30 a.m.
