RALEIGH, N.C. - After scoring a season-low 16 points and shooting 20 percent (7-of-35) in the first half, North Carolina State coach Kay Yow went to her bench for a needed spark.<br>
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She got it with freshman Khadijah Whittington, who scored 12 points, and junior Tiffany McCollins, who made 4-of-4 for 9 points as the No. 25 Wolfpack rallied from a 16-point deficit in the second half to beat Virginia 62-56 on Thursday night.<br>
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Whittington's effort included a pair of free throws in the final 10 seconds.<br>
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``Sixteen points in the first half and 46 points in the second half tells the story,'' Yow said. ``We just weren't fired up like we needed to be. Then in the second half we had a couple of players get fired up and that was contagious.''<br>
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Billie McDowell did most of the scoring for the Wolfpack (16-5, 5-3 ACC) during the comeback as she hit for 15 of her 17 points in the second half.<br>
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The Wolfpack held Virginia (16-6, 5-3) scoreless for the final 3 minutes, closing with a 13-0 run sparked by senior guard Kendra Bell, who scored six straight points.<br>
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``I didn't realize we were down 16 points,'' Bell said. ``It didn't feel like it. I knew we were capable of coming back.''<br>
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Bell tied it at 56 on a fastbreak with 1:16 left, then gave the Wolfpack the lead on a jumper from the left elbow.<br>
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LaTonya Blue, who led the Cavaliers with 14 points, missed a short jumper on Virginia's next possession and the Cavaliers were forced to foul. Bell hit both shots to give N.C. State a four-point lead with 19.9 seconds left. She finished with 10 points.<br>
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Virginia's biggest lead was 38-22 with 15:30 left.<br>
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``I thought we played very well to start the second half and push the lead,'' Virginia coach Debbie Ryan said. ``I thought it got us in a position to win the game. But I think we just didn't play good defense when we started to lose the lead. Normally, we're a really good defensive team.''<br>
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The Cavaliers had a 44-36 rebounding advantage, but committed 21 turnovers that N.C. State converted into 25 points. The Wolfpack committed only 14 turnovers.<br>
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Both teams shot poorly in the first half as Virginia went 8-of-28 (28.6 percent) and N.C. State 7-of-35. The Cavaliers were 8-of-8 from the line, though.
