NC State
13-3,3-2ACC
Virginia
13-3,2-3ACC
Season-Best Shooting Night Leads #10 Pack Past Virginia
1/8/2023 5:35:00 PM | Women's Basketball
RALEIGH – On an afternoon that was marked by celebrating the 25th anniversary of NC State's 1998 Final Four run, the tenth-ranked NC State women's basketball team (13-3, 3-2) moved back into the win column on Sunday with an 87-62 defeat of ACC foe Virginia (13-3, 2-3) in sold-out Reynolds Coliseum.
The Wolfpack used a commanding advantage in size to its liking, blocking 12 shots. Ten of those came in the first half alone, already setting a Wes Moore era-best and the most for the program in a single game since Nov. 23, 2011. Madison Hayes had a career-high seven of those alone with that number ranking second in the NC State record books and marking the most for a player since 2011.
Additionally, NC State out-rebounded the Cavaliers 39-22 on the defensive end while being steered by Jakia Brown-Turner's team-high total of eight boards.
Offensively, NC State's 57.4 percent (31-of-54) clip was its highest shooting percentage of the season while five players totaled double figures in scoring. Jada Boyd posted a team-high 13, and Camille Hobby and Mimi Collins each finished with 12 points. Diamond Johnson and River Baldwin each tallied ten points, collectively aided by Aziaha James passing out a game-high four assists.
The Pack started its strong defensive effort early as NC State limited Virginia to a 30 percent (12-for-40) mark from the field in the opening half. At the same time, the Wolfpack's balanced offensive attack got moving quickly, with five different players scoring in the opening 3:37 of action. The Wolfpack later found its groove from beyond the arc in the second quarter, with Saniya Rivers leading off the period with the game's first three pointer.
Boyd maintained the momentum from three later in the frame when the senior drilled a corner three to halt a 7-0 Cavalier run.
Bringing a 41-30 edge out of the locker room, the Pack used a 14-4 third-quarter run over 2:50 to stretch its lead to as many as 18 points early in the frame and break open the game.
NC State then ended the third quarter and opened the fourth period with a pair of three pointers, as Johnson and James each added buckets to push the Pack's lead to 71-51. The 19-point fourth quarter was enough to ice the game for NC State and move the Pack back above a .500 clip in ACC play. It also broke the tie in the program's series record against Virginia, with NC State now owning the 41-40 advantage in the all-time record.
The Pack will be on the road for the next week, first making the trip to Tallahassee, Fla., for a Thursday night date with the Florida State Seminoles. That game is set for a 6 p.m. start and will be televised nationally on the ACC Network.
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