North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
4-4
Illinois
3-5
Wolfpack Women Run Past Illinois
12/1/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 1, 2010
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - For the first time this season, NC State will arrive home victorious after a 73-57 dismantling of Illinois Wednesday night at Assembly Hall.
The game was part of the fourth installment of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Wolfpack improved to 2-2 all-time with both wins over the Fighting Illini.
Having gone winless in its first four games away from Raleigh, NC State (4-4) led from opening tip to the final horn to grab a much needed win after dropping four of its last five outings.
Junior Bonae Holston led all scorers with 18 points.
Nine points right out of halftime gave NC State a 51-24 lead, squashing any ideas of a comeback from the Illini.
The lead grew to 31 points by the 13:37 mark after a Breezy Williams lay in made it 61-30.
The comfortable margin allowed head coach Kellie Harper to extend her bench, giving valuable minutes to her reserves. All 12 players saw time in the contest.
Illinois (3-5) did crawl closer with the bench on the floor, getting to within 16 points, but the win was never in jeopardy.
Sturdy Wolfpack defense forced the Illini to cough up the ball six times in the opening minutes of the game. In the process a pair of transition buckets gave NC State a 9-2 lead.
Sophomore Marissa Kastanek (15 points) found Holston down low for another two and it was still a 17-10 lead with 11:24 to play.
Amber White (11 points) then started a run of 17-straight points for the Wolfpack with a bucket at the 10:44 mark. Kastanek dropped in a three-pointer from the corner during the run, forcing Illinois to take a second timeout in the first half.
Holston capped the extended streak with five-straight points, and it was a 34-12 NC State lead with 5:57 until intermission.
The Fighting Illini went 6:36 without a point that allowed the Pack to take firm control of the game.
Not lost in the opening-half success, freshman Kody Burke contributed 10 of her 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting before the half.
Illinois cut the lead to 16, but a driving layup by Kastanek gave the Wolfpack a 42-24 lead at the break.
19 Illinois turnovers led to 19 points by the Wolfpack in the first half.
Karisma Penn led Illinois with 12 points, while Centrese McGee added 10.
NC State returns home to host Southern Cal on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will serve as the annual "Beach Night" promotion. All fans are encouraged to dress up in their favorite Hawaiian shirt, or beach wear. Plane tickets will be among a handful of giveaways during the game.
