North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
2-1
Alabama
3-0
Women's Basketball Falls 95-84 at Alabama
11/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2010
Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A career-high 25 points by Marissa Kastanek wasn’t enough as NC State lost its first game of the season, 95-84, at Alabama Wednesday night at Coleman Coliseum.
Alabama (3-0) received a balanced offensive attack with five players in double figures, led by a 22-point, 11-rebound performance by reigning SEC Player of the Week Tierney Jenkins, her third-straight double-double to begin the year.
Amber White, who was tabbed ACC Player of the Week on Monday, backed Kastanek’s effort with 21 points of her own. Freshmen Kody Burke and Breezy Williams added 10 points each, both season highs.
Alabama stayed unbeaten on the year by doing what it does best so far in 2010-11, forcing turnovers and scoring points in the paint. Tonight, the Tide forced the Wolfpack into 30 turnovers, and scored 50 points from close range.
Any idea of a second-half comeback became even more difficult just 71 seconds into play as Alabama scored the first six points of the half. Coupled with three NC State turnovers and the hole to climb out of was a 52-33 deficit.
The Wolfpack clawed back to get within 14, 52-38, after Kastanek converted an old-fashioned three-point play at the 17:53 mark.
That appeared as close at the Wolfpack would get, because, Alabama built its lead all the way to a 28-point advantage, 74-46, with 11:35 to go.
But NC State methodically got back into the game, and after Kastanek’s third three-ball of the game it was just a12-point deficit, 88-76, with 2:52 to play.
In the end, the Wolfpack ran out of time and wound up with its first loss of the year.
Alabama scored the first six points of the game as the Pack looked a little hesitant in the first three minutes of the game. But once Bonae Holston stuck a jumper at the 17:01 mark the shots started falling. After missing its first six attempts in the game, the Wolfpack made four of its next five, including two from Burke, and it was tied 8-all heading into the first media timeout.
Alabama responded with an 8-2 run to regain its six-point edge, 16-10, with 11:31 on the clock. LaToya King (10 points) led the charge with consecutive buckets.
Alabama’s Jasmine Robinson (19 points) connected on a four-point play to give the Crimson Tide a 23-14 lead moments later.
Kastanek answered right back for the visitors, drilling a transition three-pointer to cut the deficit to 25-19 with 8:03 on the clock.
Celiscia Farmer later capped a 9-2 run to give Alabama its largest lead of the first half, 36-22, with just over five minutes until halftime.
Williams added a spark off the bench for the Pack with two field goals in the late stages of the half to make it 42-33, but the Tide scored the final four points and it was a 46-33 intermission hole for the Wolfpack.
White and Kastanek each nine points each in the first 20 minutes.
The 95 points was the most given up by the Wolfpack since No. 14 Washington scored the same amount on Dec. 21, 1997.
Tonight marked the first game in a stretch of playing five of the next six games on the road for NC State. Next up is Saturday’s game at Richmond at 2 p.m.
