NC State
16-7,6-6ACC
#11/11 Virginia Tech
19-4,9-4ACC
#22 NC State Falls to #11 Hokies
2/6/2023 8:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NC State raises over $532,000 in 18th annual game honoring legendary coach Kay Yow
RALEIGH – No. 22 NC State women's basketball (16-7, 6-6) suffered a 73-61 loss to No. 11 Virginia Tech (19-4, 9-4) on Monday night, its first time falling to the Hokies on its home court.
The game was the program's 18th Annual Play4Kay Game. Play4Kay celebrates the life of legendary head coach Kay Yow and honors all who have battled cancer. Through the generous support of Wolfpack Nation, the university community and multiple local businesses, NC State raised $532,515.50 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund surrounding this year's game.
After facing early deficits of 8-0 and 13-2, an 8-0 run from the Wolfpack sparked by back-to-back three-pointers from Diamond Johnson brought the score within one possession to negate the fast start from the Hokies. After the spurt from the Pack shrunk Virignia Tech's lead to as few as three points, the Hokies were able to stretch their advantage back to six and led by four (22-18) after the first quarter.
The Hokies outscored the Wolfpack 17-10 in the second quarter, with Virginia Tech carrying a 39-28 edge into halftime. NC State threatened multiple times throughout the third frame, using a 7-2 spurt out of the half to cut Virginia Tech's lead to 41-35. A back-and-forth period saw the Pack shrink the Hokies' lead to as few as two points at 50-48 after a 7-0 run, only for Virginia Tech to respond with an 8-0 spurt of its own to move ahead 58-48 as the two squads headed into the fourth quarter.
After the Wolfpack pushed the score to 60-57, another Hokie run proved to be too much for NC State to overcome. A 9-0 stretch saw Virginia Tech's lead grow to 16, which the Hokies later pushed to 17, allowing Virginia Tech to ice the game in its closing minutes.
The Pack was led by Diamond Johnson who finished with 16 points, while Saniya Rivers additionally finished in double figures with ten.
NC State will be on the road for its next two games beginning with a trip to take on Wake Forest on Thursday, Feb. 9. That contest is set for an 8 p.m. start from Winston-Salem, N.C., and will be televised nationally on the ACC Network.
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