Wolfpack dig down in Yow's absence
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Just after a spirited NC State rally fell short against Florida State on Thursday, a fan in the hallway at Reynolds Coliseum said, "You know, we should have pressed them earlier."
It's the kind of thing fans say after games everywhere, and will say for all time. But it just seemed nice to hear it here. Basketball talk can seem so frivolous when everyone knows that Wolfpack coach Kay Yow is in the midst of another intense battle with cancer.
“Thinking about the battle coach Kay Yow is going through helps us keep playing to the best of our abilities. She can't always do what she wants to do, and so we don't take for granted everything we can do. We have to take the positives out of every game.
” -- NC State senior Shayla Fields
But this is exactly what Yow would want. She'd want fans to be riled up over this close 64-59 defeat. She'd want them to keep believing in the Wolfpack, who dropped to 8-9. She'd want them to be talking basketball.
Thursday's game was the start of a big few days in women's hoops here in the Triangle. Florida State, which beat Big 12 power Texas A&M on Jan. 5, has now won six in a row. The Seminoles might enter the Top 25 if they defeat visiting No. 25 Georgia Tech on Sunday.
No. 2 North Carolina meets No. 12 Virginia on Friday night. Monday, No. 10 Duke is at NC State, followed by the big matchup of this college season so far: No. 1 UConn at UNC. Both are unbeaten.
"People like coach Yow paved the way for this," said NC State's Stephanie Glance, who is head coach in Yow's absence, about the continued growth of the sport.
Florida State coach Sue Semrau said she has long patterned herself after Yow.
"One of the things we talked to our team about is that Kay is about excellence," Semrau said. "She's about being competitive. The way we can honor her is to play hard.
"Growing up, I looked up to Kay more than anyone in the country -- just for everything she stood for and everything she means to our game. She's humble and competitive, and that's an amazing combination."
Semrau, in her 12th season with the Seminoles, knows just how competitive Yow is -- Semrau had never won at NC State before Thursday.
And the Wolfpack made her sweat this one out, trimming a lead that was as big as 17 points in the second half down to six with 48 seconds left. Florida State held on, though, and now NC State is 0-2 in ACC play with Duke up next.
But both of those conference losses showed competitive resolve from the Wolfpack. Sunday, NC State pushed North Carolina to overtime, despite the Tar Heels' greater depth and talent. Thursday, even when the game seemed "over," the Wolfpack kept hustling.
It's a team that's learning, getting better and trying to put the pieces together … despite knowing all along that the biggest piece is missing.
"Thinking about the battle coach Yow is going through helps us keep playing to the best of our abilities," NC State guard senior guard Shayla Fields said. "She can't always do what she wants to do, and so we don't take for granted everything we can do.
"We have to take the positives out of every game, including this one. We outrebounded them, we played good defense. We have to keep building on what we're doing good."
Still, every time she looks at her shoes and sees the pink laces, the thoughts are there.
"I don't think it ever leaves your mind," Fields said. "When you think about what the pink stands for … so many women have battled this disease and are continuing to battle it. Us wearing the pink shoestrings represents them and their struggle."
Fields, who had 25 points and five assists while playing all 40 minutes, has been the on-court rock for the Wolfpack. Glance and the rest of the staff have kept things running as smoothly as possible -- and, they hope, are making the team better.
"From where we started at the beginning of the season to where we are now, it's a tremendous improvement," Glance said. "I think coach Yow would say the same thing. That's what you're looking for as a coach and as a team -- every day in practice, we're striving to get better."
It's not strange for the players to hear a lot from Glance in practice now, because that's always the case. Glance is the natural extrovert to Yow's natural introvert.
"But in the ways that are really important, we're very similar," Glance said. "We value the same things: People come first. We're different on the outside, but inside more similar than most people might know."
Glance also gives a lot of credit for holding things together to the former Wolfpack players who are part of the staff -- Jenny Palmateer, Trena Trice-Hill and Kristen Gillespie -- plus all those who are never far away.
"The former players in this program -- at times like these, they really rally," Glance said. "It's like a big family putting their arms around you, and you feel it. Not everybody has that kind of huge group of former players that are so tight-knit.
"And people have been wonderful -- to our whole staff. We feel it from across the country. They have such great compassion, love and respect for coach Yow, and it's almost like the rest of us benefit from the ripple effect. We really appreciate that."
Glance said the moments centered on basketball are helpful to everyone.
"It's the time away from what's really happening here," she said. "During the games and practices, we are focused on that. When you're not focused, your mind tends to go to coach Yow and wondering how's she's doing right now.
"The time we have on the court is what we should enjoy. I tell the players, 'We're going to do this, because that's what she'd want from us. Yes, she's feeling bad and it's not a great time for her, but she expects nothing less than for us to be out here busting it with a lot of energy.' "
Mechelle Voepel is a regular contributor to ESPN.com. She can be reached at mvoepel123@yahoo.com.
