North Carolina State University Athletics
Free Throws Push Miami Over NC State, 72-60
1/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CORAL GABLES, Fla. An off night from leading scorer Shayla Fields and an early double digit deficit was too much to overcome for NC State in a 72-60 loss at Miami Thursday night at BankUnited Center.
Wolfpack freshman sensation Bonae Holston did her best to fill the scoring void from Fields by dominating play all night with 23 points and 12 rebounds for her third double-double in the last four games.
A third straight poor shooting day by NC State (8-11, 0-4 ACC) allowed Miami (11-8, 1-4 ACC) to earn its first ever win in the series in nine tries. One crucial reason the Hurricanes came out on top tonight was by shooting nearly 90-percent (26-of-29) from the free throw line. They came into the game shooting just 60.3 percent from the stripe on the year - the lowest figure in the league.
Miami looked determined to earn its first league win of the year as they jumped on the Pack right from the opening tip. By the 12:31 mark the Hurricanes led 17-4 with Shenise Johnson (11 points) pouring in nine points in the early going, while LaToya Drake dropped in three buckets for six points.
Momentum stayed in favor of Miami as Riquna Williams (team-high 18 points) got in the act by scoring seven straight points and the Hurricanes still led 24-12 with 9:50 to play in the opening half.
Holston kept her club within an arms length by scoring six straight at one point to get the Pack to within 26-16 at the 7:37 mark.
The Canes did a tremendous job of taking Fields completely out of the Pack’s offense. The ACC’s second-leading point producer was limited to just one free throw in the opening 20 minutes.
Miami went into the locker room up 36-21 at intermission.
NC State fought and clawed to stay in the game during the second stanza. Brittany Strachan was able to finally cut the deficit down to 10 on a three-pointer at the 12:10 to make it 45-35.
Strachan hit another big shot from beyond the arc later in the half to cut the lead under double digits for the first time since the 10:46 mark of the first half. On the next possession a put back from Holston got NC State within six, 53-47, with 7:06 to play.
After the under eight minute media timeout, Holston went to work again drawing a foul and converting both from the stripe to get it down to four, 53-49 and it was any one’s game with just over six minutes left.
But the Hurricanes did the job down the stretch at the line, converting six in a row, and add a Charmaine Clark (13 points) bucket and the lead stretched back to 61-51.
The Pack was able to get within five on three occasions down the stretch but was unable to get any closer. The Canes only made seven fields goals after halftime, but made all but three of 25 attempts from the charity stripe to close out the win.
NC State visits in-state rival Wake Forest on Monday in Winston-Salem. The game will be televised on the Regional Sports Network and will be carried on Fox Sports Carolinas in the Raleigh-Durham area.
Wolfpack freshman sensation Bonae Holston did her best to fill the scoring void from Fields by dominating play all night with 23 points and 12 rebounds for her third double-double in the last four games.
A third straight poor shooting day by NC State (8-11, 0-4 ACC) allowed Miami (11-8, 1-4 ACC) to earn its first ever win in the series in nine tries. One crucial reason the Hurricanes came out on top tonight was by shooting nearly 90-percent (26-of-29) from the free throw line. They came into the game shooting just 60.3 percent from the stripe on the year - the lowest figure in the league.
Miami looked determined to earn its first league win of the year as they jumped on the Pack right from the opening tip. By the 12:31 mark the Hurricanes led 17-4 with Shenise Johnson (11 points) pouring in nine points in the early going, while LaToya Drake dropped in three buckets for six points.
Momentum stayed in favor of Miami as Riquna Williams (team-high 18 points) got in the act by scoring seven straight points and the Hurricanes still led 24-12 with 9:50 to play in the opening half.
Holston kept her club within an arms length by scoring six straight at one point to get the Pack to within 26-16 at the 7:37 mark.
The Canes did a tremendous job of taking Fields completely out of the Pack’s offense. The ACC’s second-leading point producer was limited to just one free throw in the opening 20 minutes.
Miami went into the locker room up 36-21 at intermission.
NC State fought and clawed to stay in the game during the second stanza. Brittany Strachan was able to finally cut the deficit down to 10 on a three-pointer at the 12:10 to make it 45-35.
Strachan hit another big shot from beyond the arc later in the half to cut the lead under double digits for the first time since the 10:46 mark of the first half. On the next possession a put back from Holston got NC State within six, 53-47, with 7:06 to play.
After the under eight minute media timeout, Holston went to work again drawing a foul and converting both from the stripe to get it down to four, 53-49 and it was any one’s game with just over six minutes left.
But the Hurricanes did the job down the stretch at the line, converting six in a row, and add a Charmaine Clark (13 points) bucket and the lead stretched back to 61-51.
The Pack was able to get within five on three occasions down the stretch but was unable to get any closer. The Canes only made seven fields goals after halftime, but made all but three of 25 attempts from the charity stripe to close out the win.
NC State visits in-state rival Wake Forest on Monday in Winston-Salem. The game will be televised on the Regional Sports Network and will be carried on Fox Sports Carolinas in the Raleigh-Durham area.
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