North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
18-3, 5-2ACC
RV/- Georgia Tech
13-7, 3-4ACC
No. 23 Wolfpack Swats Yellow Jackets, 80-73
1/26/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 26, 2014
ATLANTA – Led by 14 second-half points from senior center Markeisha Gatling, the No. 23 NC State women’s basketball team (18-3, 5-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) picked up an important 80-73 road victory at Georgia Tech Sunday afternoon.
The win marked NC State’s second two-game winning streak of the ACC season and extends the Wolfpack’s lead in the all-time series vs. Georgia Tech to 42-23.
All five Wolfpack starters scored in double figures during the win: Len’Nique Brown led the way with 17 points while Markeisha Gatling (14), Myisha Goodwin-Coleman (16), Kody Burke (16), and Krystal Barrett (11) all scored 11 points or more.
Georgia Tech (13-7, 3-4 ACC) was led in scoring by Tyaunna Marshall’s game-high 23 points (9-17 shooting). Nariah Taylor joined her in double figures with 12 points while Kaela Davis was held to five points on 2-10 shooting.
Coach Moore following the game: "I can't tell you how proud I am of this team."
Trailing 2-0 early, NC State ripped off a 10-0 run over the course of 1:56 to take a 10-2 advantage. Burke was key during this stretch, hitting two field goals—one three-pointer—to score five points in the early stages of the game.
Goodwin-Coleman also got off to a fast start, hitting four of her first five three-point attempts to score 12 points just 9:04 into the game.
State was then able to extend its lead to 14 points (30-16) when Lakeesa Daniel stole a pass and drove the length of the floor to lay one in through traffic, forcing a Georgia Tech timeout.
With Goodwin-Coleman and Gatling on the bench due to early foul trouble, Georgia Tech was able to take advantage and end the final 7:29 of the half on a 19-9 run. Despite this late push by the Yellow Jackets, the Wolfpack took a 42-39 advantage into the halftime break.
NC State shot tremendously well from distance in the first half, hitting eight of 14 attempts (57.1 percent) while limiting Georgia Tech to 1-6 (16.7 percent) from distance. The Wolfpack had three student-athletes score in double figures during the first 20 minutes, as Goodwin-Coleman (12), Burke (10), and Brown (10) all performed well offensively in the opening stanza. Georgia Tech’s Marshall led all scorers in the first half with a half-high 14 points on 6-10 shooting from the field.
Georgia Tech continued its strong play into the early stages of the second half, taking its first lead (46-44) since the score was 2-0 early in the first half. The Yellow Jackets would eventually extend this lead to three points (49-46) when Aaliyah Whiteside hit a field goal 3:34 into the second half.
The Pack would battle back, however, reclaiming the lead for good when Goodwin-Coleman hit a pull-up jumper to make it 52-51 with 14:05 to play in the contest. Georgia Tech would pull within one point (54-53) less than a minute later, but State would not allow the Yellow Jackets to get any closer.
State would extend its lead to 11 points (78-67) with 24 seconds left before the game ultimately ended at its final count of 80-73.
NC State will next be in action at home on Thursday, Jan. 30 against nationally-ranked Maryland. The Wolfpack and Terrapins will tip off from Reynolds Coliseum at 7 p.m. with the action set to be broadcast live on ESPN3.
#GoPack
