North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
13-15, 4-9ACC
Boston College
18-10, 5-8ACC
Pack Wins 3rd Straight on Senior Night
2/24/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 24, 2011
RALEIGH, N.C. --- Junior Bonae Holston's 28 points stole the show on senior night as NC State came away with an 80-69 victory over Boston College Thursday at Reynolds Coliseum.
"The kids have learned how to win differently," said NC State head coach Kellie Harper. "We had a really well played game on Monday. To grind it out and get the win tonight, I think, speaks really highly of our kids."
Overcoming a 2-for-11 start and an early deficit, NC State (13-15, 4-9 ACC) found a rhythm at the end of the first half which carried over to a 14-of-25 (56.0%) shooting performance in the second. The Pack built a lead that grew to 17 at one point, and withstood a late Boston College (18-10, 5-8 ACC) run to seal the victory.
Senior Amber White and freshman Myisha Goodwin-Coleman jockeyed for the Pack's best all-around performance of the night. White contributed 17 points, six assists, and six rebounds in the win, while Goodwin-Coleman added 10 points, eight assists, and five rebounds. Each starting guard had a pair of steals.
Wolfpack defense played a pivotal role in the outcome, as NC State held Kerri Shields to 1-of-7 shooting from three-point range. Shields entered the game averaging 2.7 three-pointers per game, good for 34th in the nation.
The third-consecutive win for NC State avenges a 77-67 loss to the Eagles on January 20.
"I felt like when we played them early in the year we didn't get the ball inside," said Harper. "We were a little bit intimidated of them last time. Tonight, our guards were calling plays to get Bonae the ball, and that shows me that they understand how to win."
NC State opened the second half by stretching its six-point halftime lead to double figures over the first two minutes. By the 15-minute mark, the lead had grown to 56-42.
Boston College cut the lead to single digits on a Tiffany Ruffin three-pointer with 6:28 remaining. The Eagles had trailed by 10 or more for the previous 10:48. From 9:55 to 5:07, Holston scored all eight of the Pack's points to help keep BC at bay.
With 3:33 left, the Pack's sizeable lead, 17 at its largest, had been trimmed to four. NC State turned to its inside game to salt away the win, getting to the line on back-to-back possessions and connecting on four-straight free throws to stretch the difference to 74-66.
NC State struggled out of the gate, going 1-of-6 from the field with two turnovers over the first five minutes to open in an 8-2 hole.
Boston College held on to the lead, starving the Wolfpack offense to a 2-of-11 clip before a pair of layups by White and Kody Burke chopped the lead to three just before the second media timeout.
The Wolfpack pushed the tempo over the next two minutes, tying the game at 19-all with six-straight fast break points. Brittany Strachan's midrange jumper with 6:49 remaining gave NC State its first lead of the game at 26-24.
After BC retook the lead on a 9-3 run, NC State answered with a 13-3 run to close the half and send the Pack into the break with a 42-36 advantage.
NC State shot at least 50.0 percent from the field for the third time this season, led by Holston's 13-for-19 performance.
Burke added 11 points for the Wolfpack, and three blocks to up her season total to 54, the sixth most in school history.
A Sunday visit to Wake Forest is all that remains on the NC State regular season schedule. Tip time is scheduled for 2 p.m.
