NC State
7-3,0-0ACC
Davidson
3-7,0-0Atlantic 10
James, Rivers Combine for 46 in Win Over Davidson
12/11/2024 10:22:00 PM | Women's Basketball
RALEIGH, N.C. – Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers combined for 46 of the Pack's points in its 59-57 win over Davidson. The Pack went into the fourth quarter trailing by four, but NC State outscored the Wildcats 19-13 in the fourth to pull out the win. Rivers led all scorers with her first double-double of the season with 25 points and 11 rebounds, while James finished with 21.
NC State won the tip and James scored the first seven points for the Pack, but Davidson had an answer each time, going 4-for-4 from the field after its first miss. James knocked down a triple to tie the game at 14, but the Wildcats answered with its third 3-pointer of the game. At the media timeout taken at 3:52, the Pack trailed 17-14. The Pack held the Wildcats scoreless for the remaining 1:55 of the quarter, and Maddie Cox tied the game at 19 with a layup.
Both sides struggled offensively in the second quarter, as the Pack scored a season-low nine points in the quarter. Davidson logged just eight points in the second to minimize the damage, as NC State led 28-27 at the half. James and Rivers combined for 25 of the Pack's 28 points in the first half.
Davidson retook the lead off a 3-pointer, and started out the quarter with a 10-4 advantage, as the Pack trailed 37-32 at the media timeout taken with 4:11 left in the third. Davidson outscored NC State 17-12 in the third quarter. The Wildcats pulled ahead by six with under a minute left in the quarter, but Rivers responded with a layup with the Pack trailing 44-40 going into the fourth.
Rivers came up with a big block on defense, and the offense capitalized with a second-chance basket by James. Rivers delivered a turnaround jumper, and Davidson took a timeout, as the Pack trailed 45-44 with 8:33 left in the game. The Pack trailed by one with 4:52 left in the game until Zoe Brooks registered her first points of the game off a basket through contact to convert the 3-point play. Davidson would then answer quickly with a jumper to tie the game. Rivers continued to takeover the game, scoring six straight points to give the Pack its largest lead of the game at six with 2:45 left in the game. Davidson scored a layup and a 3-pointer to cut the lead to one with 41 seconds left. The Pack defense delivered a stop and James made one of two free throws, as the Pack won, 59-57.
PACK FACTS
- Rivers led the game with a double-double off 25 points and 11 rebounds with one block and one steal. She played all 40 minutes, the 12th time in her career she has played the entirety of a game without a sub
- That marked Rivers' fourth career double-double
- James logged 14 of her 21 points in the first quarter for her fourth 20+ point game of the season, 17th of her career. She added eight rebounds
- Madison Hayes was aggressive on the boards with 10 for the 12th double-digit rebounding game of her career, first on the season. She went 7-of-8 from the free throw line to finish with seven points, two blocks and two steals
- The Pack registered 17 offensive rebounds
UPCOMING
The Pack will play at Louisville for the Jimmy V Women's Classic on Sunday, Dec. 15 for a 1 p.m. tipoff from the KFC YUM! Center. NC State will then come back home for one last non-conference regular season game to face James Madison on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased HERE.
