NC State Beats Virginia, 71-60, in Yow's Return
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Jan. 25, 2007
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Virginia Cavaliers didn’t spoil the return of NC State head coach Kay Yow as the Cavaliers dropped a 71-60 decision to the Wolfpack at Reynolds Coliseum on Thursday evening.
Virginia fell to 12-8 overall and 2-4 in ACC play, while the Wolfpack improved to 13-6 overall and 3-2 in the league.
Yow had been on a leave of absence since November to fight a reoccurrence of breast cancer.
“It was (very emotional) in the beginning,” said UVa head coach Debbie Ryan, who is a cancer survivor. “Once the game started, I was o.k. I care a lot about Kay as a person. She’s one of the kindest, most generous people.”
NC State jumped on the scoreboard first, 4-0. UVa scored the next five points to take a one-point lead. The Wolfpack then went ahead by six twice. The `Hoos tied the game at 20-20 before making a surge prior to halftime. Freshman Jayna Hartig (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) nailed two three-pointers and senior Brenna McGuire (Winchester, Mass.) added her signature trey to put UVa ahead by five at the break, 34-29.
In the second half, Virginia pushed its lead to nine points, 43-34. State battled back to the game at 49-49. The teams traded baskets until the final five minutes of action. The Wolfack, fueled by six three-pointers, took over the lead for good.
Freshman Monica Wright (Woodbridge, Va.) led UVa with 23 points. Sophomore Lyndra Littles (Washington, D.C.) was the only other Cavalier in double digits, recording her ninth double-double of the season (14th of her career) with 16 points and a career-high 13 rebounds.
“I thought my team played very well from start to finish,” Ryan added. “They ran the gameplan to perfection. We just didn’t shoot the ball well”
Ashley Key and Shayla Fields led NC State with 18 points each. Gillian Goring added 15 points, while Khadijah Whittington grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
Overall, UVa out-rebounded State, 47-44.
Virginia travels to Florida State for a 2 p.m. game on Sunday, Jan. 28. The game will be televised by the SunSports.
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