When N.C. State travels to Lawrence Joel Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem to face Wake Forest tonight, it will mark the halfway point of what has been an emotional and physically-challenging season for the team.
From the leave of absence coach Kay Yow took four games into the season, to her emotional return 16 games later, the team has undoubtedly been on a roller-coaster of a season off the court.
Nonetheless, State (15-7, 4-3 ACC) has managed to produce on the court and played its way into the middle of the conference, tied for fifth place with Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech. The Pack is set to contend for fourth place and a birth in the postseason, according to assistant coach Stephanie Glance.
“It is very realistic for us to finish fourth in the conference, and certainly in the top half of the conference,” Glance said. “If you look at our schedule we need to take care of business that we can control.”
The team struggled offensively in the beginning of the season, shooting below 35 percent in three of its first four games. State scored a season-low 38 points against Purdue three games into the season, but the Wolfpack has slowly increased its offensive efficiency as the season has progressed.
With seven players averaging more than five points per game, including sophomore guard Shayla Fields who leads the team with 10.7 points per game, this season’s team has found its offensive strength in its balance.
Junior forward Khadijah Whittington said the offense’s increased efficiency is due to the team’s ability to work together more and to overcome “nagging” injuries.
“We are starting to work together more,” Whittington said. “We all have a lot of nagging injuries, but I think we are doing a good job of putting the nagging injuries behind us. I think injuries motivate us really.”
Also responsible for the team’s increased offensive production is the explosion of senior center Gillian Goring.
The 6-foot-7 Goring was unable to play in the Pack’s first six games this season due to injury, but since her return, the team has found increased consistency and production.
After averaging only 8.6 minutes per game and 4.6 points per game last season, Goring is averaging 15.4 mpg and 7.9 ppg so far this season, including 12.7 ppg and 8.2 rebounds per game over the team’s last six games.
Goring’s increased production and minutes as the season has progressed has been the source of the teams overall better execution on offense according to Glance.
“Not only can she score herself but she takes up so much attention,” Glance said. “The defense has to concentrate on and it has freed up our outside game a lot more. I think it has given us a lot of confidence which is important on offense.”
While the team has struggled to score at times during the season, the team’s defense has succeeded in keeping other teams from scoring.
Allowing an average of 56.3 points per game, good for third in the conference and 27th in the country, State has kept itself in many games by effectively preventing opponents from scoring.
Glance said with the Pack’s style of defensive play and athletic players, the team is able to fill “gaps” and play “really solid” defense.
“We are able to play defense for 30 seconds against a team which is good,” Glance said. “The team is playing good team defense and giving each other help, and it has helped us to sustain something for 30 seconds, which keeps teams from scoring.”
Looking ahead, State will try to position itself for post-season play in the seven remaining games it has left on its schedule before the ACC tournament begins in a month.
Despite being tied for fifth place in the conference, Glance believes the Pack’s record and the records of other teams within the conference are misleading since State has already played nationally-ranked No. 1 Duke, No. 2 North Carolina and No. 4 Maryland, while other teams have not.
“It’s all relative,” Glance said. “It’s a little skewed right now because a lot of teams have not played all three yet. If you take the schedules of the other teams in the conference, they are all very different than ours.”
Also contributing to State’s fate for the remainder of the season is that four of the seven remaining games will be played away from Reynolds Coliseum.
Despite the Pack’s 2-5 record when playing outside of Raleigh this season, Whittington said it will make no difference whether the team is playing inside of Reynolds Coliseum or in Miami.”I think we’ll go away and play Wolfpack basketball,” Whittington said. “I can’t say that going away is a bad thing for us, especially with the way we have been preparing for games.”
Wherever State ends up in conference play, Whittington said the team will be riding the inspiration it receives from Yow and her battle with breast cancer to compete every game.
“Coach Yow is just a huge inspiration to me and the whole team,” Whittington said. “You look over there and coach Yow isn’t yelling, she is just calm. I think that is a big part of our success right now.”
Glance added the team’s change since Yow returned is obvious, and will be plenty of motivation for the team to use for the remainder of the season.
“When you can set aside your own aches and pains and your problems because your coach is battling cancer, it really is motivational,” Glance said. “Coach Yow is an inspiration to the community and to the world, so it is definitely inspirational for our team.”
