NC State
16-2,11-2ACC
Pittsburgh
5-12,3-11ACC
Second-Ranked Pack Solidifies Perfect Home Record with 83-53 Victory Over Pitt
2/25/2021 6:09:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NC State ties program record with 16 made three pointers in the win
RALEIGH – The Wolfpack put together one of the best three-point outings in program history on Thursday afternoon as the second-ranked NC State women's basketball team (16-2, 11-2 ACC) cruised past the visiting Pitt Panthers (5-12, 3-11 ACC), 83-53, on Senior Day inside Reynolds Coliseum.
Thursday afternoon marked the final home contest of the 2020-21 campaign, and NC State ended its home slate with a perfect 11-0 record. It marked just the second time in program history that the Wolfpack has gone unbeaten in home action. The 1977-78 squad posted an unblemished 12-0 record inside Reynolds Coliseum to serve as the only other time the feat has been accomplished by an NC State women's basketball squad.
A total of eight different Wolfpack players contributed to a season-best 16-of-26 (.615) shooting performance from behind the arc. NC State's 16 three pointers in the game tied the single-game program record that was set against Mount Saint Mary's on Dec. 13, 2014.
Raina Perez and Jakia Brown-Turner tied for the team lead in scoring with 14 points apiece, as the Pack's five starters all hit double figures. Perez knocked down a game-high four three pointers out of her five attempts from long range, which marked the most in her NC State career.
Kai Crutchfield (11 points) and Kayla Jones (10 points) hit three three-pointers apiece as they celebrated Senior Day, with Jones tying her career high in assists with seven. Elissa Cunane added 13 points and eight rebounds to the Pack's balanced attack.
After the teams settled into the first few minutes of action, NC State went on a 15-0 run to open up a double-figure lead that it would hold on to for the last 34:17 of the outing. The Pack also scored 20 unanswered points in the middle of a dominant third quarter to extend its lead further, and NC State held a 26+ point advantage for the majority of the second half.
The Pack forced the Panthers into 23 turnovers and capitalized on those by scoring 31 points from those mishandles. Twelve of those 23 Pitt turnovers were steals by NC State, as the Wolfpack added 19 fast break points on the night.
Pitt's Sandrine Clesca was the only Panther to score in double figures, as she led her squad with 12 points. NC State limited Pitt to 39.6 percent (19-of-48) from the floor.
NC State will play its final game of the 2020-21 regular season on the road on Sunday as it visits Syracuse. Tip-off from the Carrier Dome is set for 12 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally on the ACC Network.
#GoPack | @PackWomensBball
