Thursday, November 26
Cancun, Mexico
6:30 PM
NC State
5-1
55
vs
58
(rv/25) Seton Hall
6-0
1
2
3
4
F
NC State
9
17
13
16
55
Seton Hall
15
12
18
13
58
Photo by: Lindsay Carico
Wolfpack Falls to Unbeaten Seton Hall in Cancun, 58-55
11/26/2015 9:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
CANCUN, Mexico – Despite having two attempts at potential game-winning three-pointers in the closing seconds, the NC State women's basketball team (5-1) suffered its first loss of the season at the hands of the unbeaten (RV/25) Seton Hall Pirates (6-0) in both teams' Cancun Challenge opener, 58-55.
Down 55-45 with 4:28 remaining in the game, the Wolfpack ripped off an 8-0 run to pull within two points (55-53) with 2:05 to play. Junior guard Miah Spencer (86 seconds left) and redshirt junior guard Dominique Wilson (24 seconds) each had long-range attempts to take the lead, but both shots rimmed out.
"This was a very disappointing loss," NC State head coach Wes Moore said. "Playing a ranked team, it was a chance to make a statement and we gave up 22 offensive rebounds and didn't execute on a lot of the little things. We missed a lot of free throws and this was still a one-possession game with a chance to win it.
"We've got to learn to finish these games. Every possession is so critical when you are playing a very good team and a couple of breakdowns means that you've missed out on opportunities. There are a lot of things from this game we can learn from and work on, but at some point, you've just got to get it done."
NC State was led in scoring by Spencer's 13 points. She was joined in double figures by Ashley Williams (11) and Carlee Schuhmacher (10). Williams also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. The Wolfpack shot 19-56 (.339) from the field, recorded 12 steals, but was out-rebounded by a 56-39 margin.
Seton Hall was led by 18 points from Tabatha Richardson-Smith. Aleesha Powell chipped in 17 points and Shakena Richardson scored 10. Tiffany Jones led all players with 12 rebounds.
Despite attempting 17 fewer shots than the Pirates in the first half, the Wolfpack found itself trailing by only one point (27-26) at the halftime break. State was a strong 4-10 from three-point range, with Williams leading the way at 3-4 shooting from beyond the arc. The Wolfpack struggled on the glass in the first half (-8) and committed 13 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.
NC State never led in the second half, but pulled within one point on three occasions (32-31, 34-33, and 39-38), all of which came in the third quarter.
The Pirates achieved their largest lead of the game in the fourth quarter (55-45 with 4:28 to play), but the Pack relentlessly chipped away with the aforementioned 8-0 run. After the Spencer and Wilson shots rimmed out, Richardson-Smith hit one free throw to make it 56-53. With less than two seconds remaining, the Wolfpack attempted to find an open three-point attempt from an inbounds play, but the Pirates defended well. Spencer found Mathurin down low for an open layup to pull within one (56-55), and Richardson-Smith delivered the game to its final score with two free throws at the other end.
NC State will close out tournament play at the Cancun Challenge against UAB (2-3) Friday afternoon. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. In their first game of the tournament, the Blazers defeated High Point 56-46.
#WolfpackWomen
Down 55-45 with 4:28 remaining in the game, the Wolfpack ripped off an 8-0 run to pull within two points (55-53) with 2:05 to play. Junior guard Miah Spencer (86 seconds left) and redshirt junior guard Dominique Wilson (24 seconds) each had long-range attempts to take the lead, but both shots rimmed out.
"This was a very disappointing loss," NC State head coach Wes Moore said. "Playing a ranked team, it was a chance to make a statement and we gave up 22 offensive rebounds and didn't execute on a lot of the little things. We missed a lot of free throws and this was still a one-possession game with a chance to win it.
"We've got to learn to finish these games. Every possession is so critical when you are playing a very good team and a couple of breakdowns means that you've missed out on opportunities. There are a lot of things from this game we can learn from and work on, but at some point, you've just got to get it done."
NC State was led in scoring by Spencer's 13 points. She was joined in double figures by Ashley Williams (11) and Carlee Schuhmacher (10). Williams also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. The Wolfpack shot 19-56 (.339) from the field, recorded 12 steals, but was out-rebounded by a 56-39 margin.
Seton Hall was led by 18 points from Tabatha Richardson-Smith. Aleesha Powell chipped in 17 points and Shakena Richardson scored 10. Tiffany Jones led all players with 12 rebounds.
Despite attempting 17 fewer shots than the Pirates in the first half, the Wolfpack found itself trailing by only one point (27-26) at the halftime break. State was a strong 4-10 from three-point range, with Williams leading the way at 3-4 shooting from beyond the arc. The Wolfpack struggled on the glass in the first half (-8) and committed 13 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.
Tie game! @Ashleyw311 ties it up at 15. #GoPack pic.twitter.com/6TLP4Jbicj
— NC State WBB (@PackWomensBball) November 27, 2015NC State never led in the second half, but pulled within one point on three occasions (32-31, 34-33, and 39-38), all of which came in the third quarter.
The Pirates achieved their largest lead of the game in the fourth quarter (55-45 with 4:28 to play), but the Pack relentlessly chipped away with the aforementioned 8-0 run. After the Spencer and Wilson shots rimmed out, Richardson-Smith hit one free throw to make it 56-53. With less than two seconds remaining, the Wolfpack attempted to find an open three-point attempt from an inbounds play, but the Pirates defended well. Spencer found Mathurin down low for an open layup to pull within one (56-55), and Richardson-Smith delivered the game to its final score with two free throws at the other end.
NC State will close out tournament play at the Cancun Challenge against UAB (2-3) Friday afternoon. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. In their first game of the tournament, the Blazers defeated High Point 56-46.
#WolfpackWomen
Team Stats
ST
SETON
FG%
.339
.300
3FG%
.238
.179
FT%
.545
.647
RB
39
56
TO
17
19
STL
12
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
Center
/ Women's BasketballGuard
/ Women's BasketballGuard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
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