North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
1-0
College of Charleston
0-1
Pack Defense Stymies Cougars in Opener
11/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2010
Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State captured a season-opening 73-36 victory over College of Charleston Friday, highlighted by a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double by Bonae Holston, in the Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational at Reynolds Coliseum.
Holston's double-double came in only 22 minutes of action, six minutes of which came in the second half. The Newport News, Va. native shot 7-of-13 from the field and 6-of-8 from the line, while picking up six of her 12 rebounds on the offensive glass.
Marissa Kastanek turned in a 16-point, eight-rebound, two-steal effort on the day, which included a perfect 8-for-8 performance from the line. Kastanek also went 3-for-6 from the field and 2-of-5 from three-point range.
NC State (1-0) allowed only 36 points on the afternoon, the fewest since a 65-31 win over Brown in 2007, and limited Charleston to 12-of-59 (20.3%) shooting and zero players in double figures.
"I think we made them play a little bit faster than they wanted to play and forced them into some tough shots," said NC State head coach Kellie Harper. "At times we had good ball pressure, and at times we had good rotation, but there are some things we can start working on as soon as tomorrow."
The win marks the eighth straight season-opening victory for the Wolfpack, improving its all-time record to 33-4 in season openers.
NC State attempted 43 free throws in the game, the most free throws attempted since the Wolfpack's 40 against East Carolina in 1998.
Kody Burke, Kastanek, and Holston each had eight or more rebounds on the afternoon, propelling NC State to a 62-43 advantage on the boards, 24-14 on the offensive end.
"We were a little bit bigger, and a little bit more physical than Charleston," said Harper, "but you still have to box out and you have to go get those rebounds, and we did that."
Coming out of the halftime locker room with a 13-point lead, NC State wasted no time extending their cushion beyond 20 by putting together a 14-5 run in the first eight minutes of the second half.
The Wolfpack never looked back from that point forward, pushing its lead as far as the game clock would allow to finish with a 37-point victory, the widest margin of the game.
After NC State seized a 13-5 lead with 16:51 remaining in the first half, College of Charleston charged back to trim the lead to a one-possession difference at the 15-minute mark.
"I felt like our team had some first game jitters, and I've felt that the last couple of days," said Harper. "I think they're over that now, and they'll play better when they're loose. This group wants to be good right away and I think that affects us."
The Wolfpack responded by scoring nine of the next 11 points, jumping out to a 24-15 lead thanks to defense that held the Cougars without a field goal for 10:46.
NC State steadily increased that margin to 35-22 as Lakeesa Daniel closed the half emphatically, cashing in a layup and drawing a foul off an Emili Tasler assist.
The Pack return to action Saturday at 8 p.m., in Reynolds Coliseum as they host either Creighton or Liberty in the Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational championship game.
