After missing 16 consecutive games due to a progression in breast cancer, women’s basketball coach Kay Yow is expected to be on the sidelines tonight in the team’s game against Virginia at 7 p.m. in Reynolds Coliseum.
She last coached on Nov. 17 against Wilmington — a game N.C. State won 63-48. While Yow has been away from the team, interim coach Stephanie Glance has led the team to a 10-6 record.
Her return should be a welcomed site as the Wolfpack is coming off consecutive losses against the No. 1 Blue Devils and No. 2 Tar Heels.
However, Yow said she doesn’t know what to expect when the game starts. Aside from her being on the sideline, Yow believes the game should function as it has for the past couple of months.
“I’m not even sure how we’re going to be operating yet when game time rolls around,” Yow said. “I’m just back, easing my way into the coaching process again.”
Senior forward Sasha Reaves said the team is thrilled about Yow’s opportunity to be coaching again.
“We are all pretty excited about it,” Reaves said. “She’s coming back — she’s bringing the same energy and hopefully that’ll spread through us.”
Now that State is 13-7 overall and more importantly 2-3 in the ACC, Yow said the team’s goal is to position itself in the top half of the conference.
“Now we move into a battle for perhaps fourth place,” Yow said. “And it is an important game — every game we play from now on is important to battle for fourth place.”
And according to Yow, if the Pack wants to make a move, an ACC home game against Virginia, who is 12-7 overall and 2-3 in the ACC, would be a good place to start.
“Playing at home, you really need to win ACC games at home,” Yow said. “Because it puts you in a greater hole if you lose at home — trying to make up for it on the road — it’s a big game for us.”
With losses in its last two games and four of its last six, Reaves also said tonight’s game is an opportunity to make a move in the standings — especially being that in five ACC games, State has already played the top two teams in the nation and last year’s national champions in Maryland.
“We have to go on a run here,” Reaves said. “Because we have lost games, but those were against two of the top teams in the nation. But we have to go on a run. All these next couple of games are important to us.”
Despite “nagging injuries” for a few members of the team, Yow said everyone has been practicing. Senior center Gillian Goring is expected to play while freshman guard Megan Zullo is still unavailable for game situations.
As Tuesday was Yow’s first day back to practice as coach, Thursday will be her third return to coaching after a leave from the team due to breast cancer. This return is one that Reaves said should be very emotional, but she doesn’t expect there to be too drastic of a change in coaching philosophy.
“If anything, it should bring us even closer together,” Reaves said. “As far as the coaching situation goes, we just listen to all of them. Whatever they tell us to do, we do it.”
Senior staff writer Justin Fowler contributed to this report
