North Carolina State University Athletics
Shayla Fields Architects NC State to win at Temple
12/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA The first true road game of the year for NC State proved to be a true test for the Wolfpack. Shayla Fields was instrumental in architecting a 57-52 win over Temple on Saturday afternoon at Liacouras Center.
Fields went 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final 16 seconds and scored a season-high 19 points in all to lead NC State (8-1) to its sixth win in a row. The junior guard also handed out six assists, had four steals and blocked two shots.
Sharnise Beal added 10 points off the bench for the Pack.
Ashley Morris led all scorers with 28 points for Temple (3-5).
The final two minutes turned into a nail biter. Fields and Morris traded late 3-pointers to leave the Pack up by one, 53-52 with 1:59 remaining.
With a chance at some insurance points, Khadijah Whittington missed two free throws for NC State with 1:43 left. With the game still hanging in the balance, Temple’s LaKeisha Eaddy turned the ball over when she drove the lane and the Pack’s defense collapsed around her.
Whittington came up with the steal to maintain the one-point lead. However, Chanita Jordan was called for traveling with 34 seconds left, giving the Owls another chance.
At the other end, Lindsay Kimmel’s 3-point attempt rattled off the rim and Fields connected on two free throws for a 55-52 lead.
Morris, who made big shot after big shot the entire game, rushed a three-point shot for the tie as it caromed off the top of the backboard, giving the ball back to NC State.
However, Shenita Landry stole the inbounds pass, but accidentally stepped on the end line. Two more from the stripe by Fields secured the red and white’s narrow victory.
Each team took a different approach to scoring the ball in the first half. While NC State relied on four players scoring between five and six points, Temple had the luxury of leaning on Morris.
The fleet-footed Morris surpassed her 16.3 per game scoring average by half with 17 of the Owls’ 25 points. She did it in a variety of ways, slashing to the goal and pulling up for a deep three-pointer. In fact the rest of her teammates were only 2-of-13 from the field, while the diminutive point guard was 7 out of 12.
But by intermission the Wolfpack’s teamwork afforded themselves a lead, albeit a slim one at 27-25.
NC State had the hot-hand early knocking down seven of its first 10 shots to take a 14-9 midway through the opening period.
Later on, Chanita Jordan’s old-fashioned 3-point play gave the Pack its largest lead of the half, 23-15, at the 4:25 mark, but Morris buried a pair of 3-pointers to bring the Owls within two, 23-21.
Whittington had her double-double streak snapped at eight games. She was held to eight points and four rebounds, primarily due to Temple double and triple teaming her the entire game.
NC State hosts Xavier on Tuesday at 7 pm.
Fields went 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final 16 seconds and scored a season-high 19 points in all to lead NC State (8-1) to its sixth win in a row. The junior guard also handed out six assists, had four steals and blocked two shots.
Sharnise Beal added 10 points off the bench for the Pack.
Ashley Morris led all scorers with 28 points for Temple (3-5).
The final two minutes turned into a nail biter. Fields and Morris traded late 3-pointers to leave the Pack up by one, 53-52 with 1:59 remaining.
With a chance at some insurance points, Khadijah Whittington missed two free throws for NC State with 1:43 left. With the game still hanging in the balance, Temple’s LaKeisha Eaddy turned the ball over when she drove the lane and the Pack’s defense collapsed around her.
Whittington came up with the steal to maintain the one-point lead. However, Chanita Jordan was called for traveling with 34 seconds left, giving the Owls another chance.
At the other end, Lindsay Kimmel’s 3-point attempt rattled off the rim and Fields connected on two free throws for a 55-52 lead.
Morris, who made big shot after big shot the entire game, rushed a three-point shot for the tie as it caromed off the top of the backboard, giving the ball back to NC State.
However, Shenita Landry stole the inbounds pass, but accidentally stepped on the end line. Two more from the stripe by Fields secured the red and white’s narrow victory.
Each team took a different approach to scoring the ball in the first half. While NC State relied on four players scoring between five and six points, Temple had the luxury of leaning on Morris.
The fleet-footed Morris surpassed her 16.3 per game scoring average by half with 17 of the Owls’ 25 points. She did it in a variety of ways, slashing to the goal and pulling up for a deep three-pointer. In fact the rest of her teammates were only 2-of-13 from the field, while the diminutive point guard was 7 out of 12.
But by intermission the Wolfpack’s teamwork afforded themselves a lead, albeit a slim one at 27-25.
NC State had the hot-hand early knocking down seven of its first 10 shots to take a 14-9 midway through the opening period.
Later on, Chanita Jordan’s old-fashioned 3-point play gave the Pack its largest lead of the half, 23-15, at the 4:25 mark, but Morris buried a pair of 3-pointers to bring the Owls within two, 23-21.
Whittington had her double-double streak snapped at eight games. She was held to eight points and four rebounds, primarily due to Temple double and triple teaming her the entire game.
NC State hosts Xavier on Tuesday at 7 pm.
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