Big Ten/ACC Challenge Women's Basketball ACCtion: Thursday, November 29
North Carolina topples Purdue 90-72; Whittington extends double-double streak to eight games in Wolfpack win.
North Carolina's Rashanda McCants netted a game-high 28 points in the Tar Heels' Big Ten/ACC Challenge win over Purdue.

North Carolina's Rashanda McCants netted a game-high 28 points in the Tar Heels' Big Ten/ACC Challenge win over Purdue.

Nov. 29, 2007

Whittington Leads NC State Women's Hoops Past Illinois, 61-47

RALEIGH, N.C. - In a battle of dominant forwards, NC State's Khadijah Whittington did what she does best.

She dominated.

The senior standout tallied 19 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and two blocks for her eighth straight double-double, the third longest streak in school history, to lead NC State (7-1) to a 61-47 win over Illinois (5-2) in the first Big Ten/ACC Women's Basketball Challenge Thursday night in Raleigh. Whittington out-dueled two-time Big Ten Player of the Week Jenna Smith (16 points, three rebounds), who came into the contest averaging 21.3 points and 11.5 rebounds.

The Wolfpack defense held Illinois to 36.7% (18-49) shooting overall and just 2-of-9 from behind the arc. NC State kept the intensity up on defense throughout the game, forcing 17 turnovers and scoring 16 off of the Illini' miscues.


No. 4 North Carolina Rolls Past Purdue

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -No. 4 North Carolina got just what it needed before heading into a showdown with top-ranked Tennessee - a gentle reminder that the Tar Heels aren't as perfect as their record says they are.

Rashanda McCants scored a career-high 28 points to help North Carolina easily hand Purdue its fourth straight loss, 90-72 Thursday night.

"We got a big lead and then we let up some. They shot very well," North Carolina's Sylvia Hatchell said.

The Tar Heels led 48-32 at halftime and were up by more than 20 most of the second half. But the Boilermakers made some noise on the way out.


#19 Michigan State defeats Clemson 68-51

EAST LANSING, Mich.­ - Allyssa DeHaan scored 26 points and had 13 rebounds in leading 19th-ranked Michigan State to 68-51 win over Clemson in the ACC-Big 10 Women's Basketball Challenge at East Lansing, Michigan Thursday night.

Michigan State is now 6-1 on the year, while Clemson falls to 4-4 this season. Michigan State is ranked 20th by the Assocated Press poll and 19th by USA Today. DeHaan was 11-19 from the field and had four blocked shots for the Spartans. Clemson was led by April Parker with 13 points and D'Lesha Lloyd with 10 points.

In the first half, Clemson took a 12-8 lead with 13:19 remaining on the clock as D'Lesha Lloyd hit two free throws. From this point in the game, Michigan State went on an 18-4 run and took a 26-16 lead with 4:51 remaining in the first half. In this stretch Clemson went scoreless for 5:06. In this Spartan rally, Allyssa Wulff had six points.