NC State
USC
USC Shoots Down Wolfpack Women
12/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 5, 2010
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RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State's Brittany Strachan scored a career-high 22 points, and made 6-of-8 shots from behind the three-point arc, but the effort was not enough in an 84-75 setback to USC Sunday afternoon at Reynolds Coliseum.
"I am a little disappointed in our attitude in the first half--we were a little passive and timid," said head coach Kellie Harper. "We saw glimpses in the second half of the team we want to be. As a team, we need to put that together for 40 minutes for us to be a successful basketball team this year."
In addition to Strachan, three other NC State (4-5) student-athletes notched double-digit scoring performances in the game--Amber White (15), Bonae Holston (14) and Marissa Kastanek (12). All four players have scored at least 20 points in a game so far this season.
In the second half, the Pack began chipping away at the lead USC built up in the opening 20 minutes. With 19:00 left in the game, Holston began cutting the NC State deficit down to 10, 42-32, forcing the Women of Troy to call their first timeout of the frame.
The Wolfpack Women pulled closer by the 16:41 mark. Following a Kelsie Lliteras block, Kastanek nailed a jumper at the other end to bring the squad within nine points, 47-38.
The Pack continued to threaten the Women of Troy, cutting their lead to 60-58 at the 8:28 mark of the second half thanks to a Kody Burke bucket.
USC responded, though, embarking on a 17-8 run to extend its advantage to 76-66.
Strachan fought to keep the Pack in the game, draining four of her six three-point shots in the second half, but in the end, the Pack could not cool down the hot shooting of USC, which earned a 52.7% field goal percentage for the game, including 60 percent (9-of-15) from three-point range.
Briana Gilbreath led USC with 23 points in 34 minutes of action, while Jacki Gemelos added 18.
The Wolfpack opened the game with a slow start, falling behind 8-2 in the opening four minutes of play.
The deficit grew to double digits and stayed there over the final 10 minutes of the first half. The Pack trailed by as many as 16 with 2:44 left until intermission.
NC State was unable to contain USC's shooting. The Women of Troy managed to hit 62.1 percent of their field goals, despite 12 turnovers, in the first half.
The Wolfpack Women struggled from the floor in the opening half, shooting just 37.5 percent and hitting only 12 field goals in the first 20 minutes of play. Strachan and Kastanek both netted eight points for the Pack in the opening frame to lead the squad, which faced a 42-28 deficit at halftime.
NC State returns to action Sunday, Dec. 12, to take on South Carolina at 2 p.m. in Columbia, S.C. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Carolinas.
