Nov. 29, 2007
Box Score
RALEIGH, N.C. - A big first half run by host North Carolina State was enough to give the Wolfpack a 61-47 win over the Fighting Illini at Reynolds Coliseum Thursday night in the inaugural Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Sophomore Jenna Smith again led the way for the Orange and Blue scoring 16 points, but it was not enough as Illinois dropped to 5-2 on the season.
The game went back-and-forth early on as there were eight lead changes and three ties in the opening 10 minutes. The Illini led 14-12 with just under nine minutes to play after a lay-up by Smith, but it would be all Wolfpack the rest of the half. The hosts went on a 20-3 run, with seven of the points coming from guard Nikitta Gartrell, to open up a 32-17 lead with under a minute to play. A three-pointer by Lori Bjork in the final minute cut the deficit to 12, 32-20, at the break. Smith and Danyel Crutcher each had six points in the first 20 minutes of play, but 11 turnovers, including three shot-clock violations, plagued the Orange and Blue.
Illinois came out with a different fire in the second half, closing to within eight on two occasions, but could not sustain a long run to close the gap any further. The Illini shot 37 percent for the game (18-of-49), 39 in the second half, while the Pack hit 47 percent of its shots (24-of-51) for the game and held a 34-26 edge on the boards.
"I was happy with the intensity we played with in the second half," Illini head coach Jolette Law said. "I told the girls after the game that if we'd play like that for all 40 minutes it's a different ballgame. We need to learn to treat each possession like it's our last. We can't afford to take any possessions off, especially against a team like NC State."
Though she finished with the 16 points, the Wolfpack defense flustered Smith to only 5-of-15 shooting and held the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week to a season-low three rebounds. Senior Danyel Crutcher was the only other Illini in double-figures with 12 points and a team-high six boards. Senior Rebecca Harris came off the bench to score nine points, while sophomore Lacey Simpson added four assists and three steals to the cause.
"Jenna missed a few shots early and got a little frustrated," Law said. "NC State was really physical with her defensively and took her out of her comfort zone a bit, but I think if we go back and concentrate on what's made her so successful up to this point we'll be fine."
The game was a homecoming of sorts as Coach Law, originally from Florence S.C., and assistant coach Karen Middleton, originally from Jefferson, N.C., as each grew up within a couple hours of Raleigh. Over 100 friends and family of the two were on hand at the game, making for a loud Illini cheering section.
With the win, NC State (7-1) has now won 30 straight games vs. non-conference foes at home. NCSU's Khadijah Whittington, the reigning ACC Player of the Week, finished game-highs in points (19) and rebounds (12) for the Pack.
The Illini will now head back to Champaign to host Illinois-Chicago on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. Then on Wednesday, Dec. 5, #9/9 Oklahoma will come to town for a showdown at Assembly Hall. The Illinois-OU game, which is set to tip-off at 8 p.m. CT, will be Illinois' first televised women's basketball game on the Big Ten Network.
