NC State
4-3,0-0ACC
LSU
8-0,0-0SEC
Pack Falls to No. 7/7 LSU
11/27/2024 3:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – No. 20/17 NC State women's basketball dropped to No. 7/7 LSU in the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship game, 82-65. Four players reached double digits in scoring, led by Saniya Rivers' 21 points. Rivers was named to the five-person All-Tournament Team.
The Pack won its seventh tipoff of the season and Aziaha James capitalized in just five seconds by taking it to the hoop for two. NC State elevated to a 9-4 lead as Zoe Brooks stole the ball and took it to the other end for a layup. James knocked down a triple to pull the Pack ahead by six, but a two-minute scoring drought by NC State helped LSU take its first lead of the game, 13-12, with four minutes left in the first quarter. Rivers drained a 3-pointer to tie the game at 17 with 2:08 left in the first. Out of the timeout, LSU went on a 7-0 run, as NC State went quiet from the field and trailed 24-19 at the end of the first quarter.
NC State was quiet from the field for the first three minutes of the quarter until Rivers knocked down her second triple and James followed up with one of her own to cut the deficit to three. LSU then answered with an 8-0 run, while the Pack was held in a scoring drought for over two minutes. The Pack called a timeout, down 36-25 with 3:25 remaining in the half. Rivers scored quickly out of the break, but the Pack was outscored 18-10 in the second quarter to trail 42-29 at the half.
Mallory Collier came up with a putback layup in the beginning of the third after the Pack was outrebounded 25-6 in the first half. The Pack took advantage of a three-minute scoring drought by LSU, as a Rivers jumper pulled NC State within nine, but LSU went on a quick 5-0 run, as the Pack trailed 54-40 with 4:34 left in the third quarter. James then knocked down a triple to cut the deficit back to 10, but LSU had a quick answer before the end of the third. NC State trailed 61-49 going into the final quarter.
Maddie Cox came into the game and played great defense, drawing two charges and was aggressive on the boards. She knocked down a 3-pointer and Lorena Awou made one of two free throws to cut the lead to 10, 63-53, with 7:32 left in the game, but an 11-2 run by LSU extended their lead to 73-55. A Rivers and-1 put her at 21 points and cut the deficit to 15, but the Pack would go on to fall, 82-65.
The Tigers shot 53 percent from the field and outrebounded the Pack, 44-24. NC State forced 21 turnovers, scoring 18 points off those LSU mishaps.
PACK FACTS
- Rivers posted a season-high 21 points off 8-of-19 shooting with two assists and two steals. Her 20-point game was the seventh of her career
- James logged 13 points and four assists to extend her double-digit scoring streak to 16. She drew two charges as well
- Madison Hayes registered 11 points and four boards
- Brooks recorded 12 points, two assists and three steals
- Cox played big minutes and delivered defensively, drawing two charges and logging four rebounds and one block. She also added three points off a triple
UPCOMING
The Pack will host Ole Miss next Thursday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. for the SEC/ACC Challenge. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
