GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) – It had been five years since North
Carolina State won an Atlantic Coast Conference tournament game and
10 years since the Wolfpack made it all the way to the finals.
N.C. State picked this year to end both streaks.
|  | | N.C. State's Ivy Gardner added 14 points and six rebounds in the Wolfpack's win over Clemson on Sunday. |
Carisse Moody had 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead N.C.
State (No. 20 ESPN/USA Today, No. 21 AP) to a 65-52 victory over Clemson (No. 19 ESPN/USA Today, No. 25 AP) in the semifinals of
the ACC tournament on Sunday.
"To be back in the championship, with this team, is really
special," N.C. State coach Kay Yow said. "They believe that
together, we can go above and beyond. So I'm just thrilled to be
back."
The Wolfpack (20-9) last played in the championship game in
1991, winning their seventh ACC title that year. N.C. State gets a
shot at its eighth crown Monday night against No. 4 Duke, its
instate rival.
"We didn't want to play anyone else but Duke," forward Talisha
Scates said. "I mean, Durham and Raleigh right next to each other,
and in Greensboro, it doesn't get any better than that."
Clemson (20-9), which won the tournament in 1996 and `99, failed
to make the finals for only the second time in six years.
Erin Batth had 13 points to lead the Lady Tigers, the 17th team
this season to fail to score 60 points against N.C. State.
The game took a critical turn for Clemson in the second half
when Batth and forward Marci Glenney each picked up their fourth
fouls. Clemson coach Jim Davis pulled Batth off the floor to save
her, but had to leave Glenney out there.
It backfired when Glenney picked up her fifth foul with 9:04 to
play and Clemson trailing 46-38. Glenney jumped in the air in
disgust, resulting in a technical foul.
The sequence proved costly for Clemson when Tynesha Lewis hit
all four free throws to stretch North Carolina State's lead to
50-38.
Davis compounded the problem by arguing the call against
Glenney, which led to a second technical. Lewis hit the first of
two free throws to put the Wolfpack up 51-38 with 9:04 to play.
"Good coaches maintain their composure and good players
maintain their composure," Davis said. "We certainly have to be a
little more careful with what we say."
Yow said the sequence was the difference in the game.
"On the technicals, Tynesha went up to the line and hit a lot
of shots for us to give us a real boost," Yow said.
Batth then went back in, and helped the Tigers climb back into
contention with a 13-4 run. Her putback with 4:39 to play cut N.C.
State's lead to 55-51.
But she fouled out with 3:04 left and Clemson had no answer in
the paint or on the glass.
"When she has to leave the game, it's a problem for us," Davis
said of Batth. "We're very much undersized without her."
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ALSO SEE
Women's College Basketball Scoreboard
North Carolina State Clubhouse
Clemson Clubhouse
ACC tournament schedule
It's Schweitzer again: Duke gets past FSU into ACC final
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