Wake Forest University
North Carolina State
Wake Forest Falls to N.C. State, 81-55
1/3/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 3, 2005
Junior Billie McDowell hit six three-pointers and recorded 27 points as NC State picked up its first Atlantic Coast Conference victory and sixth-straight overall win at home with an 81-55 win over Wake Forest on Monday, Jan. 3. The Wolfpack improved to 11-2 and 1-0 in the ACC, while the Demon Deacons fell to 10-3 and 0-1. NC State took the lead four minutes into the game and never looked back. The Pack had a 22-point lead at the half, enough to sustain them for the entire game. Sophomore Ashley Key added 15 points and junior Tiffany Stansbury recorded 10. The Deacs were led by Erin Ferrell's 15 points, while both Porshé Jones and Liz Strunk dropped in 13.
"It was really great to start the ACC season with a win," said NC State's Key Yow. "It was on our home court and it is definitely important for us to win while at home. The team just played hard all around. They played hard on defense and were very aggressive on the offensive side of the ball. To get 26 assists just goes to show how well we played.
Both teams had something on the line in tonight's game. True, it was the ACC opener for both, but a win would also determine who would rise in the ACC standings and who would improve to 11-2, not fall to 10-3. The Wolfpack also wanted a bit of redemption after losing to Wake Forest last season in Reynolds Coliseum. Well, Wake Forest took the lead after hitting Strunk hit two free throws on its first possession, but it was NC State's night and McDowell was dialing long distance. The Lumberton, N.C. native hit a three-pointer with just under two minutes played and that basket was an omen for good things to come for the Wolfpack.
"Tonight wasn't much fun. We had been looking forward to this game and it just wasn't much fun at all," said Wake Forest head coach Mike Petersen. "NC State played great and with a lot of energy. They really got into us, especially early. We went into the game trying to focus on Billie McDowell and Tiffany Stansbury and we really did a poor job, especially on McDowell.
NC State slowly built its lead to three, then five, then eight and then reached double figures in scoring margin at 7:32, 28-18 after Key hit one of her three, three-pointers of the night. Wake Forest tried to stay with the Wolfpack as both teams played a fast-paced game. The Deacs put up 25 shots in the first half, but just six saw the bottom of the net. By the end of the half, NC State was shooting a season-high 67.9 percent, while Wake Forest finished the period with just one field goal in the final nine and a half minutes. The 24 resulting points was the fewest Wake had tallied in a half all season. NC State's leading scorers, McDowell and Key had 15 points before the break and were a combined 11-for-18 from the floor. McDowell hit four threes and Key knocked down three herself. The Wolfpack's 22-point lead at the break set the stage for the remainder of the game.
McDowell continued to hold NC State on her back as she hit two more threes and five total field goals in the second half for 12 more points.
"I just came in with the thought that it was our first ACC game of the season, and I wanted our team to do well," said NC State's Billie McDowell. "Wake Forest is a really good team, so we knew we had to show up. We knew we couldn't slack off. We didn't and it was a great win for us."
Wake Forest did decrease its deficit to 19 points with just under 14 minutes remaining in the game, at 59-40, but NC State mounted a defense that included crashing the boards, to hold the Deacs to just 34 percent shooting for the half and just 17 rebounds. Sophomore Marquetta Dickens ripped down eight rebounds in the second half alone to keep the Wolfpack in good position to run its transition offense and maintain control of its lead.
McDowell's 27 points and six three pointers set a new career high for her and in doing so, she became just the 11th player in NC State history to hit six threes in a game.
Also, freshman Khadijah Whittington went perfect for the game, as she was 4-of-4 from the floor and 1-for-1 from the free throw line.
