North Carolina State University Athletics
White Sinks Wake Forest With Buzzer Beater
1/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
RALEIGH, N.C. – Amber White admitted she didn’t even see the basket when she lofted a buzzer-beating jumper to lift NC State to a stunning 51-49 victory over Wake Forest Friday evening at Reynolds Coliseum.
A game that was marred by poor offensive execution from both sides, NC State (12-7, 2-2 ACC) came out of a timeout and tied the game 49-all when Nikitta Gartrell (10 points) drained another back-breaking three-pointer against Wake with 15 seconds left.
After a timeout taken by the Demon Deacons, Brooke Thomas rushed a jumper that was hauled in by Gartrell and that led to White driving towards the baseline and floated a “prayer” that was answered as time expired.
“I’m happy to be on this side,” said coach Kellie Harper. “I know what Wake Forest feels like. We learned at FSU it’s a 40-minute game. Every basket, every possession counts.”
The victory puts the Wolfpack right in the thick of the ACC race a third of the way though the league with a five-way tie at 2-2.
White understood how big that shot was for her team after letting what seemed to be a victory last Sunday at No. 16 Florida State slipped through the Pack’s fingers.
“The (ACC) title is up for grabs,” explained White. “Depending on the outcome of the North Carolina-Clemson game we could be tiedd for third and in the race for the top.”
Wake ran off six straight points midway through the second half to take a 44-38 lead with 8:12 to go, but the Wolfpack scored six of its own to knot things at 44-44.
Secily Ray (20 points) put the Deacs up 49-46 with a layup at the 1:11 mark, but Gartrell answered with the three for the tie.
It was the second time in the last three meetings that Gartrell did in the Deacs. Last season in Winston-Salem, she sent the game into overtime with a three-pointer and came back with another 6.3 seconds left in the extra session for a miraculous 65-63 victory in mid-February.
NC State took its first lead of the game 11-10 after Gartrell stepped up and buried a three from the top of the key.
The Pack later broke a 13-all tie with six straight points to leap out to a 19-13 advantage with under six minutes to play.
However, the Deacs rallied back to tie the game up 21-all in the late stages of the first half, but a pair of free throws by White sent the home team ahead 23-21 at the half.
Bonae Holston led NC State with 15 points, while Gartrell and White added 10 apiece.
NC State now prepares for local rival North Carolina on Monday at 7 p.m., from Kay Yow Court. The game will be televised on the RSN Network and shown locally on Fox Sports Carolinas.
A game that was marred by poor offensive execution from both sides, NC State (12-7, 2-2 ACC) came out of a timeout and tied the game 49-all when Nikitta Gartrell (10 points) drained another back-breaking three-pointer against Wake with 15 seconds left.
After a timeout taken by the Demon Deacons, Brooke Thomas rushed a jumper that was hauled in by Gartrell and that led to White driving towards the baseline and floated a “prayer” that was answered as time expired.
“I’m happy to be on this side,” said coach Kellie Harper. “I know what Wake Forest feels like. We learned at FSU it’s a 40-minute game. Every basket, every possession counts.”
The victory puts the Wolfpack right in the thick of the ACC race a third of the way though the league with a five-way tie at 2-2.
White understood how big that shot was for her team after letting what seemed to be a victory last Sunday at No. 16 Florida State slipped through the Pack’s fingers.
“The (ACC) title is up for grabs,” explained White. “Depending on the outcome of the North Carolina-Clemson game we could be tiedd for third and in the race for the top.”
Wake ran off six straight points midway through the second half to take a 44-38 lead with 8:12 to go, but the Wolfpack scored six of its own to knot things at 44-44.
Secily Ray (20 points) put the Deacs up 49-46 with a layup at the 1:11 mark, but Gartrell answered with the three for the tie.
It was the second time in the last three meetings that Gartrell did in the Deacs. Last season in Winston-Salem, she sent the game into overtime with a three-pointer and came back with another 6.3 seconds left in the extra session for a miraculous 65-63 victory in mid-February.
NC State took its first lead of the game 11-10 after Gartrell stepped up and buried a three from the top of the key.
The Pack later broke a 13-all tie with six straight points to leap out to a 19-13 advantage with under six minutes to play.
However, the Deacs rallied back to tie the game up 21-all in the late stages of the first half, but a pair of free throws by White sent the home team ahead 23-21 at the half.
Bonae Holston led NC State with 15 points, while Gartrell and White added 10 apiece.
NC State now prepares for local rival North Carolina on Monday at 7 p.m., from Kay Yow Court. The game will be televised on the RSN Network and shown locally on Fox Sports Carolinas.
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