North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Goes Toe-to-Toe With No. 3 Duke
1/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 23, 2011
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RALEIGH, N.C. – Marissa Kastanek and Kody Burke each scored 14 points, and Bonae Holston added 10, but the effort was not enough, as NC State fell 65-64 to No. 3 Duke Sunday night in Reynolds Coliseum.
NC State (9-10, 1-4 ACC) held a commanding lead for the majority of the game, including its largest, a 20-point advantage with 19:15 remaining in the game after a bucket from Burke.
“Our kids proved that they could play with Duke, but didn’t quite prove that we can beat them yet,” said NC State head coach Kellie Harper. “I hate that because our kids fought hard and played hard. We had a great first half, but we need to learn how to finish.”
Burke also paced the Pack in rebounds, corralling nine in the contest, six of which were defensive boards.
Myisha Goodwin-Coleman connected on her second three-pointer of the game with 12:05 remaining to extend the NC State lead to 51-34.
At the 9:45 mark in the second half, Amber White led the fast-break against three Blue Devil players, converting a layup to give the Pack a 57-41 lead.
About two minutes later, Duke’s Chelsea Gray connected on a deep three-pointer, shrinking the Wolfpack lead to 59-49. That wound up as part of a nine point outburst that got the Blue Devils within six, 59-53 with just over five minutes to play.
Holston calmed the Duke scoring frenzy by getting to the free throw line and converting both shots, extending the lead to 61-53.
The Blue Devils later tied the score 61-all with 2:44 remaining in the game off a Krystal Thomas layup, but Burke countered, hitting the first of two free throws to once again put the Wolfpack on top, 62-61 with 2:25 left.
Krystal Thomas again pulled through for Duke, converting another close-range shot to give the Blue Devils its first lead, 63-62, since the 16:03 mark in the first half.
That score held until, with 29.4 seconds remaining, Kastanek was fouled and she converted both shots to sway the lead back in favor of the Pack, 64-63, with 29 ticks left.
Duke then drove down the floor, where Chelsea Gray hit a runner with 12 seconds left to give the squad a 65-64 advantage for just its third lead of the ball game.
The Wolfpack had one last chance. Kastanek rolled off of a Holston screen at the top of the key, taking an open shot from behind the three-point arc that hit the front of the rim. Holston gathered the rebound and quickly threw the ball back up with two seconds remaining, but her shot was short as well and the Blue Devils escaped with a victory.
“I think we have to find a way to pick them (players) back up,” said Harper. “This one was a tough one; we lost on the press offense and down the stretch. We didn’t have the fight that we needed. They got really physical with us.”
Duke missed 16 of its first 18 shots of the game, which included a 9-minute drought without a field goal.
NC State took advantage of the poor shooting by building a 20-7 advantage after a three-pointer from Brittany Strachan with 8:24 left until halftime.
The lead grew to 15 after a three-ball from Burke. It then went to 16 in the final minute of the half on a jumper from Breezy Williams, and two free throws from Burke pushed the advantage all the way to 40-22 at intermission.
Kastanek moved into eighth place on the all-time three-pointers made list at NC State with 108, passing Rachel Stockdale (2001-06).
Holston scored in double figures for the 16th straight game.
NC State returns to action Thursday, Jan. 27 at Miami.
