The women’s basketball team (10-14, 2-7) defeated Wake Forest (17-6, 4-5) 59-51 Thursday night in the team’s first game in Reynolds Coliseum since the death of Kay Yow. The game looked dismal for N.C. State at times but ended with the Pack picking up a victory. The win was the second in four games after a second half that associate coach Stephanie Glance thought could be a turning point of the season.

State jumped out to a 9-0 lead, but the Deacs weren’t about to let the Pack run away with the game. Once the Pack got tired, Wake took advantage with a 15-2 run to take the lead. The Pack continued to be outpaced for the rest of the half, finishing the first 20 minutes behind 32-21. Stateís first half play was sloppy and full of unforced errors, according to Glance.

“Turnovers really hurt us. [We had] 13 in the first [half],” Glance said.

According to Glance, when the team went into the locker room, the team knew it was time for a change.

“At halftime, we challenged the team to put N.C. State back on the court,” Glance said. “I felt like it could be a turning point in our season.”

The team responded, coming out of the locker room with renewed strength and momentum. Most importantly, State was back to playing the same full-court defense that was so successful in the first part of the opening half.

“We had that lapse and we were able to regain [momentum],” Glance said. 

Just like the beginning of the first half, State outran Wake Forest, beginning the half with a 13-2 run to tie the score at 34 all. Only this time, the team continued the pressure. The Pack continued to exchange baskets with the Deacons down the stretch. 

With 5:10 left in the contest and the score tied at 42, junior guard Nikitta Gartrell pump-faked a shot, sending two Wake Forest players into the air, allowing her to drive and give State its first lead since the first half. Two Deacon turnovers later, with 3:14 left to play the Pack took a 50-42 lead. 

Wake refused to go quietly — a three from junior guard Courteney Morris cut the lead to five with just over a minute to go. State was able to hit its free throws down the stretch to clinch the win.

According to Glance, she was impressed tremendously with her team’s effort.

“For us to come from a deficit through the second half is a tribute to this team’s heart,” she said.

Senior guard Shayla Fields, who scored 22 points to lead State, said hearing Glance call the second half an opportunity to turn around the season and then following through on that gives the Pack inspiration going forward.

“It gives us a lot of momentum. It felt like it was a turnaround of the season,” Fields said.

According to Fields, the win, being the first home game without Yow, held a lot of meaning.

“It’s been very hard,” she said. “We came out and tried to represent N.C. State and Coach Yow.”

The Pack returns to action Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. against Virginia in its annual Hoops for Hope charity event.