NC State
11-0,6-0ACC
Virginia Tech
7-7,2-7ACC
Late Surge Propels #2 NC State to Seventh-Straight Win Over Hokies
1/24/2021 6:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Wolfpack scored 19 of last 25 points of the game to complete comeback
RALEIGH – After trailing by double digits midway through the fourth quarter, the second-ranked NC State women's basketball team (11-0, 6-0 ACC) put together another late comeback victory, this time defeating the visiting Virginia Tech Hokies (7-7, 2-7 ACC) 89-87 inside Reynolds Coliseum.
NC State trailed by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter, and Virginia Tech owned an 11-point advantage (81-70) with 4:20 remaining in the game before the Pack began to chisel away at that lead. The Wolfpack scored 19 of the last 25 points of the game and hit four three pointers in the closing minutes to secure its seventh-straight win over the Hokies.
Jakia Brown-Turner led three 20+ point scorers for the Wolfpack, tying her career high with 23 on the night. Kayla Jones added 22 points, a team-high seven rebounds and four assists to stuff the stat sheet, and Kai Crutchfield ended the outing with 20 points and three assists of her own.
All three of those players knocked down four three pointers apiece to lead the way for the Pack's 14 triples as a team. That mark was the most for the squad in a single game this season and tied as the third-most made in a single game in program history.
In total, NC State shot 14-of-29 (.483) from long range and 29-of-56 (.518) from the floor.
The game featured eight lead changes and two ties. After a third quarter during which Virginia Tech shot 66.7 percent (10-of-15) and the Pack shot just 33.3 percent (4-of-12), the Wolfpack stared up at a 10-point deficit headed into the final frame. NC State went on to put up 30 points to Virginia Tech's 18 in the fourth quarter.
The Wolfpack used an 11-0 run, which included eight-straight points by Crutchfield, to tie the game at 81 with 2:36 remaining. Brown-Turner and Jones added a pair of clutch threes to that run. Crutchfield then converted on a pair of free throws to give NC State the lead, its first since the 5:32 mark of the third quarter and one it would not relinquish. Virginia Tech's Cayla King hit a three with 12 seconds remaining to bring her team within one, but the Pack was able to ice away the game at the free throw line.
In addition to King's 12 points and four threes, Hokie sophomore Elizabeth Kitley put up a double-double with 30 points and 13 rebounds. Senior Aisha Sheppard added 24 points and four three pointers of her own.
NC State managed to keep the game in hand in the first half as well when Virginia Tech went up by 10 at the start of the second quarter. The Pack hit seven threes in that frame alone and held the Hokies scoreless for the final 3:01 of the half to take the 47-41 lead into the break.
NC State is set to make the return trip to Blacksburg on Thursday, Jan. 28 for its second regular-season matchup with the Hokies. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. from the Cassell Coliseum, and the game will be broadcast live on the ACC's Regional Sports Networks.
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