N.C. State Women’s basketball top Virginia Tech Hokies to go (26-3/17-1) for the regular season…Elissa Cunane(Northern Guilford High School) led all scorers on the floor with 22 points, just one shy of a season high, for the senior Wolfpack women’s center.
You have to think Elissa Cunane’s parents, Dan and Sharon Cunane were on hand for this game in Blacksburg, VA…Also had to have Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Kitley in the house, along with Tom King and his wife….All there supporting Guilford County’s own Elissa Cunane(State), Liz Kitley(VA Tech), and Cayla King(VA Tech)….
#3 Wolfpack Outlasts #23 Hokies 68-66 to Close Out Regular Season
from www.gopack.com
BLACKSBURG, Va. – No. 3 NC State women’s basketball team (26-3, 17-1 ACC) wrapped up regular-season action with a 68-66 road victory at No. 23 Virginia Tech (21-8, 13-5 ACC) to secure the outright ACC regular season title on Sunday night.
The victory over the Hokies was NC State’s seventh against a ranked opponent this season.
Elissa Cunane led all scorers on the floor with 22 points, just one shy of a season high for the senior center. She was one of three double-figure scorers as forwards Kayla Jones (12 points) and Jada Boyd (11 points) also contributed to the Pack’s tally.
Those three played a huge role in a dominant attack in the paint. NC State outscored Virginia Tech 48-22 in the category with over 70 perfect of its scoring production on the night coming inside.
The Wolfpack also managed to minimize turnovers and capitalize on the Hokies’ mishandles with 21 points off of turnovers.
Needing just seven points coming into the game, Jones reached the 1,000-point milestone with a backdoor layup in the first quarter. It made her the 36th player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points.
NC State hit its first four shots of the night to jump out to an early advantage and led by as many as 11 points on two occasions in the first quarter. The Wolfpack shot 61.1 percent (11-of-18) in the opening 10 minutes and limited the Hokies to just 4-of-14 shooting in the meantime, including holding them without a mark from the field for the first four minutes.
A tighter second quarter ended with a five-point Wolfpack lead (39-34) at the break. NC State went on to outscore the Hokies 21-17 in the third quarter to take a nine-point lead (60-51) into the final quarter.
Both teams shot under 35 percent in the final period, and Virginia Tech managed to tie the score at 66 with 1:20 remaining, but Cunane knocked down a jumper on the Pack’s next possession to put the Wolfpack back in front. Virginia Tech was unable to get a good look before the buzzer as the Pack held on for the win.
NC State is the No. 1 seed for the 2022 ACC Tournament that is set to run March 2-6 in Greensboro, N.C. The Wolfpack will open tournament action on Friday, March 4 after a double bye and will face either No. 8-seed Boston College or No. 9-seed Florida State in that quarterfinal matchup.
from www.hokiesports.com:
No. 23 Virginia Tech battles back, falls 68-66 to No. 3 NC State
Hokies record 14 assists on 23 field goals
BLACKSBURG, VA –The Virginia Tech offense put on a ball-movement clinic at home Sunday, collecting 14 assists on 23 made shots, but the Hokies fell to the NC State Wolfpack 68-66.
The Hokies (21-8, 13-5) had two players score in double figures, led by Elizabeth Kitley(Northwest Guilford High School), who had 18 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. Aisha Sheppard tacked on 16 points and six rebounds and Georgia Amoore added nine points and six assists.
How It Happened
Virginia Tech struggled out of the gate, falling behind 23-12 at the end of the first quarter.
Virginia Tech then cut the Wolfpack lead to 33-26 before going on a 6-0 run, highlighted by a three from Cayla King(Northwest Guilford High School), to narrow its deficit to 33-32. NC State responded and expanded its lead, leaving the Hokies trailing 39-34 heading into halftime.
NC State continued to increase its lead after halftime, building a 47-40 advantage before Virginia Tech went on a 5-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Amoore, to trim its deficit to 47-45 with 6:13 to go in the third. NC State countered and stretched its lead to 60-51 heading into the fourth. Virginia Tech’s bench made the most of its minutes in the period, as non-starters totaled six of the team’s 17 third-quarter points.
Virginia Tech narrowed its deficit to 66-60 before going on a 6-0 run, finished off by Amoore’s jumper, to even the score at 66 all with 1:20 to go in the contest. The Hokies could not turn their rally into a victory, as the Wolfpack outscored them 2-0 the rest of the way to hand Virginia Tech the 68-66 loss. Virginia Tech fired away from deep in the quarter, knocking down two shots to account for six of its 15 points.
Game Notes
» The Hokies shared the ball well, recording an assist on 61 percent of made field goals.
» Elizabeth Kitley led the Hokies with 18 points.
» Virginia Tech got a team-high seven rebounds from Elizabeth Kitley.