Wolfpack deny Hughes, Eagles
Boston College guard Kelly Hughes is one of the great marksmen in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference and that made her a marked player last night in a 70-58 loss to No. 15 North Carolina State at Conte Forum.
The 5-foot-11 senior from Pleasant Point, N.J., was limited to three looks from the perimeter and matched her season low two points.
N.C. State’s defensive game plan was to deny Hughes looks, as she entered tied for fourth (315) on the ACC’s alltime made 3-point shot list. She is the only player in ACC history to have over 300 made 3-pointers and 600 rebounds.
“She was definitely the key to our game plan and we have so much respect for Kelly,” said N.C. State coach Wes Moore. “We stressed all week getting someone to her in transition and to stay back with Kelly, and it shows the respect we have for her.”
That someone Moore referred to was senior guard Dominique Wilson, who fought through double screens all game to deny Hughes open shots. Wilson complemented her defensive effort with 23 points and three assists. “She was in my shorts the whole game and I just couldn’t get open looks,” said Hughes. “But credit to her for her defense and the job she did tonight.”
Hughes is the fourth BC gunner to own the school record for 3-pointers since 2010. Mikel Picco (237) gave way to Kerri Shields (252) who was bypassed by Nicole Boudreau (253) of Andover last season.
Hughes drained 92 treys as a junior and set the career mark with four 3-pointers against Boston University in the season opener. She became BC’s alltime 3-point leader with a pair against Duke on Jan. 22 where she eclipsed the record of 300 set by Troy Bell.
In many ways Hughes is the victim of her own success on a team that hasn’t established a second option from the outside. Hughes had Boudreau to create looks last year, and BC coach Erik Johnson is developing freshman Taylor Ortlepp for that role.
Ortlepp was 3-of-6 from behind the arc and had 18 points and six assists. BC center Mariella Fasoula shot 10-of-13 and led the Eagles (9-18, 2-12) with 20 points and eight rebounds.
“We are seeing a lot of pressure ‘D’ and defenses are not letting me get any room and chasing me off screens and not give me any room whatsoever,” said Hughes. “I just have to keep moving without the ball and letting screens get set but N.C. State’s guards didn’t give me any room to breathe and it made a difference.”
N.C. State took command of the game at the end of the third quarter with a 9-2 run to go up 64-51. The Wolfpack (20-6, 10-3) made 20-of-23 from the line and forced 19 BC turnovers.
The Eagles and Wolfpack had their uniform colors and footwear altered to shades of pink as part of the ongoing Play4Kay Cancer Fund initiative, a tribute to legendary N.C. State coach Kay Yow, who succumbed to breast cancer on Jan. 24, 2009.