#15 Wolfpack Readies for Two Tests at Cancun Challenge

November 21, 2018

GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS (MSU ... GWU) | LIVE VIDEO (MSU ... GWU)

CANCUN, Mexico – After moving up to the 15th spot in the latest Associated Press top-25 rankings and up to 13th in the USA Today poll, the NC State women's basketball team (4-0) takes its perfect record away from Raleigh for the first time when it competes at the 2018 Cancun Challenge at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya.

Competing in the Riviera division of the women's tournament, NC State will take on unbeaten Michigan State (3-0) on Nov. 22 at 6:30 pm ET before concluding tournament action against George Washington on Nov. 23 at 4 pm ET. Both games will be streamed on CBS College Sports Live.

NOTING THE WOLFPACK
-Off to a 4-0 start for the eighth straight season.
-No. 18 nationally in shooting percentage (.496).
-No. 19 nationally in 3FG percentage (.420).
-Outrebounded all four opponents.
-Four players averaging 13.0+ points per game.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS (3-0)
-Return four starters from a team that went 18-15 last season and advanced to the third round of the postseason WNIT.
-Four players average double figures, with Jenna Allen's 14.7 points per game leading the way.
-Outscoring opponents by an average of 22.7 ppg.
-Shooting .403 from three-point range this season.
-No. 24 nationally in scoring offense (86.0 ppg.).
-No. 21 nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.38).

SERIES HISTORY (MICHIGAN STATE LEADS 2-0)
-The teams have never met on a neutral site.
-In the last meeting, Michigan State defeated NC State 68-51 in Raleigh on Nov. 29, 2012.

SCOUTING THE COLONIALS (1-3)
-Return three starters from a team that went 19-14 last season and won the Atlantic 10 Tournament.
-Selected to finish third in the Atlantic 10 this season.
-No players average double-figure scoring. Mei-Lyn Bautista leads the team with 8.3 ppg.
-Averaging 43.5 points on offense but only allowing 55.0 points on defense.
-Will play Georgia Tech on Thursday.

SERIES HISTORY (NC STATE LEADS 8-3)
-Last four meetings have been split 2-2.
-NC State is 2-1 vs. George Washington in neutral-site games.
-In the last meeting between the teams, George Washington defeated NC State 74-66 on Nov. 28, 2014 in the Junkanoo Jam on Grand Bahama Island.

DOMINANT REBOUNDING
NC State out-rebounded Belmont 46-30 in its season-opening win on Nov. 7. The Wolfpack collected 12 offensive rebounds that led to 16 second-chance points. Through four games this season, NC State is +8.3 on the boards.

BALANCED SCORING
Four Wolfpack players are averaging 13.0 points per game so far this season. Kiara Leslie leads all scorers with 14.3 ppg.

BALANCED MINUTES
All 12 of NC State's active players have appeared in in at least three of four games this season. Only two (Aislinn Konig and Leslie) are averaging more than 31 minutes of action per game.

NO EASY SHOTS
Through four games this season, NC State has held each opponent to shooting .355 or lower from the field.

SOPHOMORE JUMP
Sophomores Kayla Jones and Kai Crutchfield have made massive jumps from their first to second years at NC State. Last season, the duo combined for 2.6 points per game. This season? 14.6.

STRONG BEGINNING
Through the first four games of her career, freshman center Elissa Cunane is averaging 13.5 ppg. to rank third on the team. The Summerfield, N.C., native is also shooting .556 from the field and averaging 4.5 rebounds per game.

CANADIAN SHARPSHOOTER
Junior guard Aislinn Konig has hit at least one three-pointer in 37 consecutive games dating back to Nov. 15, 2017. She hit 91 last season, setting a new program single-season record. The previous mark of 90 was held by Jennifer Howard since the 1995-96 season.

The junior guard is averaging 4.0 made three-pointers per game so far this season.

#GoPack | @PackWomensBball

#15 Wolfpack Readies for Two Tests at Cancun Challenge

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Players Mentioned

Kai Crutchfield

Elissa Cunane

Kayla Jones

Aislinn Konig

Kiara Leslie