GREENSBORO - The N.C. State women's basketball team advances to the finals of the ACC Tournament for the first time since 2007, defeating Boston College 63-57 in the semifinals of the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on Saturday.
An undersized Wolfpack squad used a 15-0 second half run to rally, depending on its rugged defense and the clutch shooting of senior guard Nikitta Gartrell, who scored a game-high 25 points and several key shots down the stretch.
State will face top-seeded Duke in the tournament final on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The sixth-seed Pack are led by first-year coach Kellie Harper, who has stoked confidence in a team that struggled to win close games at the start of the season. The Pack defeated Clemson and an upset third-seeded Virginia to reach the semifinals.
The Eagles led 29-23 at half-time.
Using its clear height advantage, the Eagles pounded the ball inside in the first half, with 6-foot-5 Boston College center Carolyn Swords leading the way with 12 points. The seventh-seeded Eagles outrebounded the Pack 17-11 and outscored them 14-6 in the paint in the first half.
Gartrell kept her team in the game with 12 first-half points, finding her jumpshot and going 5-for-8 from the field.
State and Boston College face each other for the first time in the ACC Tournament.
Edward joined the News & Observer staff in 2004. He is a graduate of American University and Johns Hopkins University. He covers Wake Forest football and women's college basketball for the N&O. Edward is a native of Washington, D.C. He can be reached at 829-4781 or 
Comments
I actually watched the last
Sun, 03/07/2010 - 00:54 — Heels20I actually watched the last 5 minutes of this game and was impressed with how State fought back. Looks like they'll make the tournament, but until then, I'm hoping they win tomorrow night.
Kelly Harper
Sat, 03/06/2010 - 18:19 — shharrisCongratulations no matter what happens Sunday! Maybe Kelly would help coach the men.
Deja Vu?
Sun, 03/07/2010 - 09:44 — JPDOhioI seem to recall that Sid's first team was in the same position that the Pack women are in now. So you might want to exercise some discretion before you start making comparisons.
Actually, I think that State found itself a winner in Kellie Harper. She has this team playing the way the game should be played (and apparently the way she played). It's current success is a direct result of her influence and the future is extemely bright for these ladies.
I am planning to watch this afternoon and wish the State ladies the best of luck. Go Pack!