NC State
30-6,13-5ACC
#5/5 Stanford
30-6,15-3Pac-12
Wolfpack Women’s Hoops Beats Stanford 77-67 to Move to Elite Eight
3/29/2024 10:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PORTLAND, Ore. – For the third time in program history and the second time in the last three seasons, NC State women's basketball (30-6) is headed to the NCAA Tournament regional final after defeating fifth-ranked and second-seeded Stanford (30-6) in Friday night's Sweet 16 matchup, 77-67.
The Wolfpack will remain in Portland to take on the winner of the game between top-seeded Texas and fourth-seeded Gonzaga on Sunday, March 31. That Elite Eight matchup will tip off at 3 p.m. EST (12 p.m. local time) on ABC.
NC State's women's and men's programs have simultaneously made their respective Elite Eights for the first time in school history.
The Wolfpack put together a huge third quarter during which it outscored Stanford 28-10 to erase what was a 10-point halftime deficit. The Pack shot 60 percent (9-of-15) in the third period and held Stanford without a field goal for the final four minutes of the quarter to lead 55-47 after 30 minutes. A stepback three by Aziaha James with 3:44 remaining in the third gave the Pack its first lead in nearly 20 minutes of game action and was the first of two straight triples for the junior guard.
NC State scored on its first two possessions of the fourth quarter to go up 13 points (60-47) and extended its lead to as many as 15 on two occasions in the fourth quarter. Stanford never brought the game back to single digits in the final period of action.
James led the Wolfpack in scoring with 29 points, the most scored by a member of the Pack in NCAA Tournament action since 2017. Saniya Rivers (13 points) and Zoe Brooks (12 points) joined her in double figures, and Madison Hayes led the team on the boards with 10 rebounds to go with her seven points.
NC State shot 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from distance as a team and 42.9 percent (27-of-63) overall while holding the Cardinal over 10 points below their season scoring average.
Stanford had just a one-point lead (12-11) after a first quarter that featured four lead changes and a pair of ties and had a 37-27 lead at halftime, but NC State had a 50-30 scoring advantage in the second half.
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