The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1177236
90 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2019-20 ■ Jada Boyd 5 • Forward • 6-2 Freshman • Petersburg, Va. Career Highlights: Aver- aged 33.2 points and 15.1 rebounds per contest as a senior at Appomattox High … Rated as the No. 32 over- all prospect in the 2019 class by ESPN HoopGurlz … Was a two-time all-state se- lection and named Virginia Class 1 Player of the Year as a junior. ■ Jakia Brown-Turner 11 • Wing • 6-0 Freshman • Oxon Hill, Md. Career Highlights: NC State's first McDonald's All-American signing since 2006 … Scored seven points in McDonald's All-American Game and 10 points in the Jordan Brand Classic … Named a third-team All- American by Naismith … Rated as the No. 15 player in the 2019 class by ESPN HoopGurlz … Averaged 16.2 points per game as a senior at Bishop McNamara High and was named the state's Player of the Year … Finished her career as the school's all-time leading scorer. ■ Erika Cassell 24 • Center • 6-2 Senior • Marietta, Ga. Career Highlights: Started 23 games last season and was the Pack's leading re- bounder (7.9 boards per game) before suffering a season-ending injury … Had a double-double with a career-high 15 points and 10 rebounds at Virginia … Made her first career start as a sophomore … Had a double-double that season of 11 points and 11 rebounds at Miami … Had five games of double-digit rebounds, including a career-high 14 at Virginia Tech … Was named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll … Played in 22 games as a true freshman and twice led NC State in rebounding … Rated as a four-star pros - pect, and the No. 16 forward and No. 88 overall recruit in the class of 2016 by ESPN HoopGurlz … As a senior, won a Georgia state championship at Holy Innocents Episcopal School and was tabbed as a second-team All-State performer by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution … Named to the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association All-Star team as a junior, when she helped her team win a school-record 31 games. CAREER STATISTICS Year GP PPG RPG APG 2016-17 22 2.1 2.5 0.3 2017-18 32 2.9 4.3 0.3 2018-19 23 6.6 7.9 0.6 ■ Kai Crutchfield 3 • Guard • 5-9 Junior • Raleigh Career Highlights: Started the final 20 contests and played in 33 of 34 games last season … Scored a c a r e e r- h i g h 1 7 p o i n t s against Louisville in the ACC Tournament semifinals … Scored in double digits on 10 occasions, including twice in the NCAA Tourna - ment … Was named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll … Played in 28 games as a freshman … Scored a sea- son-best 11 points against Davidson … Rated as a four-star talent, and the No. 24 guard and No. 82 overall player in the class of 2017 by ESPN HoopGurlz … Was an All-State selection by USA Today and the Associated Press … Helped Millbrook High School to a 28-4 record (14-0 conference mark) while advancing to the state's final four as a senior … Hit the game-winning shot during Millbrook's 2016 4A state championship win over Northwest Guilford … Selected as The Raleigh News & Observer's Girls Basketball Player of the Year after her junior season … Member of the National Honor Society. Year GP PPG RPG APG 2017-18 28 2.0 0.9 0.5 2018-19 33 6.2 2.9 2.0 ■ Elissa Cunane 33 • Center • 6-5 Sophomore • Summerfield, N.C. Career Highlights: Made the All-ACC Freshman Team … Was a four-time ACC Rookie of the Week winner and named the National Freshman of the Week once … Started 11 games and played in all 34 con- tests … Scored in double digits 22 times and had at least 20 points seven times, including a personal-best 28 points versus Notre Dame … Had a career-high 15 rebounds against Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament … Set a school record with 136 made free throws, the most by a freshman at NC State … Rated as the No. 5 center and No. 21 overall player in the country in the 2018 class by Prospects Nation … ESPN HoopGurlz listed her as the No. 11 post prospect and No. 55 overall recruit nationally … During her senior year at Northern Guilford High, averaged 20.4 points, 12.6 boards, 3.1 blocks, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals per contest for a 28-4 squad that won the 3-A state title … Was named the Associated Press Girls High School Basketball Player of the Year in the state. Year GP PPG RPG BPG 2018-19 34 13.6 6.3 0.8 ■ Kaila Ealey 2 • Guard • 5-8 Fifth-Year Senior • Raleigh Career Highlights: A knee injury this summer could sideline her until January … Missed last season with a different knee injury … Was named to the ACC Aca- demic Honor Roll … Started all 35 games as a sopho- more … Scored in double digits 13 times and had a career-high of 22 points in a win over UNC … Her season total of 148 assists were the 12th most in a single year in school history … Connected on 122 of 175 free throws (69.7 percent), the sixth-most makes and fourth-most attempts in a single year at NCSU … Played in 29 games and averaged 13.2 minutes off the bench as a redshirt freshman … Played in four games before her true freshman season was cut short by an injury … Averaged 26.4 points per game during her senior year at Broughton High School while helping the team to a 20-7 mark … Earned second-team All-State honors from the Associated Press … Rated as a four-star recruit, the No. 16 guard and No. 75 overall prospect in 2015 by ESPN HoopGurlz. CAREER STATISTICS Year GP PPG RPG APG 2015-16 4 2.0 2.0 1.3 2016-17 29 2.9 2.9 1.6 2017-18 35 8.9 5.3 4.2 Meet The Pack Bios Of The 2019-20 Women's Basketball Team