Women's Basketball Southern Conference

SoCon Women's Basketball from December 31

Pack Defeats Mountaineers in Final Non-Conference Game, 82-42 Chones and Mendeng chip in 18 to guide NC State

RALEIGH, N.C. * NC State (8-5) opened the second half with a 17-5 run = over the opening five minutes to pull away from visiting Appalachian State =
(1-9) on Wednesday, Dec. 31 in Reynolds Coliseum. Seniors Kaayla Chones = and Alvine Mendeng poured in 18 points apiece to lead the Wolfpack to a = 82-42 win in its final tuneup befor the conference season. Chones, who = notched her 25th-career double-double, had 12 points and 11 rebounds in = the first half, hitting each of her four attempts from the free throw = line. Mendeng, who netted a season-high point total, was 8-of-9 from the = field.=20

"This was a good finish for us in the non-conference schedule," said NC = State coach Kay Yow. "We beat some very good teams and competed hard, but = I would have liked to have had more wins. I really saw positive results = from our practices this week. In the second half we did some very nice = things and shot the ball particularly well. We played solid defense the = entire game, and that really sparked us on offense."

Both teams got off to a slow start, but NC State was the first to score = nearly three minutes into the contest. The Pack widened its lead going = into the half with a 13-0 run beginning at the 7:04 mark. NC State held a = 31-17 advantage at the end of the period.

The Pack added to its lead with a 7-0 run to open the second half. Chones = found Mendeng in the paint for an easy jumper. Free throws by senior = Nanna Rivers and Mendeng, along with a jumper by junior Kendra Bell aided =
the effort, as NC State scored 51 points in the period. NThe Pack led =
by as many as 41 late in the second period, guided down the stretch by = sophomore Billie McDowell, who added eight points in only seven minutes on = the court. =20

The Pack had its best performance of the season from the free throw line, = hitting 81.6 percent on 18-of-22 shooting. NC State held the Mountaineers = to just 24.1 percent (14-of-58) from the field, while hitting 56.3 percent = of its shots in the second half. Twenty-two of the Pack's 31 field goals = were assisted. The Wolfpack totaled 46 points in the paint, and 25 off of = Appalachian State turnovers.=20

Freshman Marquetta Dickens had a season-high eight rebounds and added five = assists. Rivers also had five assists. =20

ASU's Kiki Conyers had a team-high 12 points, and Aisha Bryant added 10 = off of the bench for the Mountaineers.

NC State makes a quick turnaround and heads to College Park, Md. to face = the Terrapins in its conference opener on Jan. 2. Maryland (8-3) is = coming off a 63-60 overtime win in the Surf-and-Slam Tournament in San = Diego, Calif. against D.C. area foe Georgetown. Tip for the contest is = set for 7 p.m. and can be heard locally on 88.1 WKNC.