Wolfpack Hosts No. 2 Notre Dame Thursday to Open ACC Slate

December 28, 2016

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RALEIGH – Off to its best start heading into league play since the 2013-14 season, the NC State women's basketball team (10-3) opens Atlantic Coast Conference action Thursday evening at home against No. 2/2 Notre Dame. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Kay Yow Court inside Reynolds Coliseum with live coverage provided by ACC Network Extra.

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GAME DAY PROMOTIONS
-Book drive to benefit Book Harvest in Durham. Fans who donate new and/or gently used children's books will receive a discounted admission price of $3.

A WOLFPACK WIN ON THURSDAY WOULD...
-Be the 850th win in program history (849-446)
-Be the 632nd win of head coach Wes Moore's career (631-206)
-Be Moore's 74th win at NC State (73-37)
-Be NC State's first win over Notre Dame (0-5)
-Be NC State's 127th win over a top-25 team (126-233)
-Be NC State's first win over a top-10 team since a 72-59 win over No. 10 Duke on Feb. 22, 2015.
-Be NC State's first win over a top-five team since a 75-73 win over No. 5 Duke on March 2, 2012.

LAST GAME
The NC State women's basketball team (10-3) got back to its winning ways Dec. 19 in its final non-conference action of the season, earning a one-sided 74-31 win at South Alabama inside the Mitchell Center.

All 13 Wolfpack players saw at least nine minutes of action during the contest, with not one playing in excess of 20 minutes. NC State was led offensively by 12 points from Chelsea Nelson and a career-high 10 points from Akela Maize. The Wolfpack shot .500 from the field or higher in two of four quarters and ended the game with a solid 27-60 (.450) success rate from the field while holding South Alabama (5-5) to 11-58 (.190) shooting.

FAST STARTS
With a 10-3 record on the eve of conference play, NC State is off to its second best start to a season under head coach Wes Moore (13-1 in 2013-14). In four seasons of non-conference play, Moore has led the Wolfpack to a 41-12 record in 53 total games. NC State is 30-2 at home during four completed non-conference schedules.

QUITE A BEGINNING
NC State begins Atlantic Coast Conference play this season against three straight teams ranked within the AP and USA Today top 11. Following a home game against No. 2/2 Notre Dame, the Wolfpack travels to No. 7/7 Florida State on Jan. 2 and hosts No. 11/11 Miami on Jan. 5. A challenging trip to Wake Forest on Jan. 8 briefly breaks up the top-25 gauntlet before the Wolfpack plays at No. 25/21 Syracuse on Jan. 12, hosts No. 15/17 Duke on Jan. 15, and hosts No. 40/- Clemson on Jan. 22.

All told, six of the Wolfpack's first seven ACC games this season are against teams ranked or receiving votes in the top 25.

NOTING THE WOLFPACK
-NC State enters Thursday's game the owner of a 10-3 record.
-All 10 of NC State's wins have been by at least 14 points.
-NC State is 9-0 when three or more players score 10+ points.
-As of games played December 23, NC State ranks 12th in the nation in points allowed per game (52.7) and 17th in 3FG made per game (8.8).
-NC State has two wins over top-100 RPI squads (Hampton - 98 and Indiana - 70). (As of games played Dec. 23.)

SCOUTING THE FIGHTING IRISH
-Notre Dame enters Thursday's game the owner of a 12-1 record and the No. 2 national ranking in both the AP and USA Today polls.
-The Fighting Irish return nine letterwinners from a team which went 33-2 a year ago and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16.
-Notre Dame was selected to win the ACC this season in the league's preseason poll.

SERIES HISTORY
-Thursday's game marks the sixth meeting between NC State and Notre Dame.
-The Wolfpack is 0-5 in the series.
-In the last meeting between the teams, NC State lost 82-46 at No. 3 Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., on Feb. 4, 2016.
-In the last Raleigh meeting between the teams, NC State lost 67-60 to No. 4 Notre Dame on March 1, 2015, in the final game played at Reynolds Coliseum before the 18-month renovation.

COURT VISION
Best assist to turnover ratios on the team (min. 100 minutes):
Ashley Williams: 2.60
Miah Spencer: 2.45
Lucky Rudd: 2.18
Kaila Ealey: 2.08

VERY ELITE COMPANY
Senior Miah Spencer achieved 1,300 career points during the Dec. 17 game at Tulane. She's now just two assists away from reaching 400 for her career. Upon her 400th assist, Spencer will become just the fifth player in program history to score 1,300 points and distribute 400 assists.

Andrea Stinson: 2,136 points and 402 assists
Danyel Parker: 1,368 points, 467 assists
Umeki Webb: 1,362 points and 445 assists
Angie Armstrong: 1,330 points and 608 assists
Miah Spencer: 1,302 points and 398 assists

#GoPack | @PackWomensBball

Wolfpack Hosts No. 2 Notre Dame Thursday to Open ACC Slate

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Players Mentioned

Kaila Ealey

Akela Maize

Chelsea Nelson

Lucky Rudd

Miah Spencer

Ashley Williams