The women’s basketball team won the Wolfpack Invitational in Reynolds Coliseum Sunday afternoon with a 62-55 win against Charlotte. N.C. State advanced to the finals by defeating UW-Milwaukee on Saturday 77-42. Saturday’s home opening win improved State to 20-1 all-time in home openers.
Lone senior Shayla Fields scored a career-high 33 points to lead all scorers and lock up tournament MVP honors after her 17 point performance in the opening round. Fields, along with junior Nikitta Gartrell, was on the court the entire game. Gartrell, who was named to the all-tournament team, and Fields combined for 50 of the Pack’s 62 points.
“Our backcourt dominated this game. We knew coming into the season we have a lot to prove as a team, but particularly our front line,” she said.
Fields led the Pack in the first half putting up 13 points as State struggled to break away from the 49ers early and went to the locker room at halftime up 32-30.
One factor limiting the Pack’s performance was the lack of production from junior standout Lucy Ellison. Ellison was second on the team last season averaging 5.9 rebounds a game and pulled down 11 boards in this season’s exhibition opener to lead the team, but grabbed only two rebounds Sunday.
“From day one, she’s not a natural scorer,” Yow said. “So the way she really helps us is defense and rebounding, and when she’s not rebounding and if the other post that she’s defending is scoring, it really hurts because we’re counting on her for defense and rebounding.”
State had its largest lead in the second half at 48-39, but it quickly disappeared as the 49ers hit key shots down the stretch to keep it close.
Tied at 50 with close to four minutes remaining, State’s Brittany Strachan hit a three to put the Pack up 53-50.
“Once we got the lead back, I thought they really managed the clock well.” Yow said. “That was important that we could play strong [defense] without fouling and not stop the clock that way.”
The game appeared destined to go down to the wire until Fields took over. The senior had eight points in the final two minutes to help State grab the win.
“I just wanted to take care of the ball. The more we took care of the ball, the less chances they had to score, so I felt like if we took care of the ball as a team and [buckled] down on defense, then they wouldn’t have as many opportunities to score,” Fields said.
