NC State
2-2,0-0ACC
TCU
4-0,0-0Big 12
No. 10/9 NC State Women’s Basketball Falls to No. 17/12 TCU
11/16/2025 3:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
RALEIGH – The No. 10/9 NC State women's basketball team dropped its home contest against No. 17/12 TCU, 69-59. The loss snapped a 24-game home winning streak for the Pack. NC State was led by Tilda Trygger's 15 points and Ky'She Lunan followed with 10. Khamil Pierre also surpassed 1,000 career points on Sunday.
Qadence Samuels started off the game with a triple, and then the Horned Frogs responded on an 8-0 run, while the Pack went 0-for-9 in that stretch. Zoe Brooks broke that drought with a putback jumper before NC was held in another scoring drought for over two minutes as the Horned Frogs went on a 7-0 run. NC State was able to return the favor with an 8-0 run to end the quarter, as Tilda Trygger nailed down a jumper with 0.1 seconds left in the first. NC State trailed 15-13 after one.
NC State took a 9-0 run in the second quarter, highlighted by a Maddie Cox 3-pointer, which tied the game at 20-20. The Pack extended its lead to five, 31-26 off a Trygger 3-pointer, at the media timeout with 3:07 left in the quarter. TCU then returned the favor, closing the half on a 10-0 run, while NC State was held in a scoring drought for the remaining 3:26 in the frame. TCU led 36-31 at the half.
TCU extended its run to a 12-0 run going into the quarter, but Trygger knocked down her second triple. The Horned Frogs then hit back-to-back 3-pointers, as TCU took a 10-point lead, 46-36, at the media timeout taken with 4:37 left in the quarter. TCU outscored NC State 20-9 in the third and the Horned Frogs led 56-40 after three. NC State was 3-of-15 from the field in the third.
NC State opened up the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run, courtesy of three Pierre baskets to cut the deficit to eight. TCU responded with a 4-0 run to extend the lead back up to 13. The Pack continued to climb back, and after a Lunan triple, NC State trailed by seven, 65-58, with 2:09 left in the game. NC State outscored TCU 19-13 in the fourth but dropped the game 69-59.
COACH MOORE QUOTES
Opening Statement:
"We have a long way to go and we have to do a better job. Offensively, we are still doing too much one on one, not reversing the ball, and not getting movement. That's on me. I have to do a better job of trying to make sure we require that. I thought we did some good things to get back in after digging a hole early, and then we let them make a run at the end of the half. We had a run to start the second half. So we have to make sure we come out in the 3rd quarter and play better than we did today. We struggled to shoot the ball, let some positions, and that makes it hard when some of our veterans don't have their best days. I think offensively, we have to get a little more ball movement and try to get body movement instead of just going one on one. It's going to be an important thing for us to clean up."
On why they didn't score on shots from the field:
"I think a lot of it was we took some tough shots, but that falls back on me. I have to make sure we're getting ball movement and movement in general from our players, instead of the ball sticking and a person going one on one. That's part of it, but I do think, at times, we had some decent looks and just didn't knock them down. I thought Tilda, obviously, had a really good game. I thought Destiny Lunan came in off the bench and played well, as well as Maddie Cox. We need to look at all that. I think Devin had a pretty good game, as well. We have to get everybody clicking at the same time when you're playing this level of competition. It's tough when your veteran players are having an off night."
On Zoe's leadership:
"I mean again, it's hard on her. Last year, she had Saniya and Aziaha taking the heat off of her and now this year, she is going to be the marked man. So, that's a little bit tougher. Not having that experience around her; when you have three kids that were in the program, two of them four years and one of them three years, they kind of insulated her and protected her. Now we don't have that experience around her, so it puts more pressure on her."
On whether this loss can ignite the energy and spark the team needs:
"I hope so. However, we got beat last Sunday too. How many is it going to take? But, our players talk all the time about being dogs. What kind of dog are we? Are we a chihuahua or a doberman or a pitbull? I don't know. Now is when you have to come out fighting and that's what I tell them. When you're having an off shooting day, that's where your competitiveness has to take over. When you're having an off night shooting the ball, you have to find other ways. Whether it's defending, rebounding, whatever. Sometimes we tend to hang our heads when things aren't going well, when that's really when you need to turn up the fight. So, I hope."
PLAYER QUOTES:
"Tilda, from a mental perspective, what does this team need to do to get where it needs to be and overcome deficits like tonight?"
Tilda: "I think energy is the biggest part we need right now. Coach Moore talks about having energy both in and outside of practice. When shots aren't hitting, we need to do other things like rebounding and paint defense, and today we didn't do enough of that. Everything starts from energy."
"When shots aren't falling, especially from the guard position, how do you stay mentally strong? Who steps up as a leader in those moments?"
Ky'She: "Shots aren't always going to fall, it's part of basketball. We have to go get it on defense. Defense can start our offense, and we have to take pride in that."
Tilda: "I agree. Offensive rebounds help, too, and I need to do a better job with that. Lorena (Awou) did a great job, she got an and-one off a rebound, and that gave us energy. That's a big focus for us."
"You've played one of the toughest schedules in college basketball over the first two weeks. What does it mean to have these marquee games, and how will they help you as you approach league play?"
Tilda: "It means a lot. Coach Moore believes in us and knows we can handle it. We don't want to play lower-ranked teams, we want to know what we're capable of. I'm happy Coach Moore made this schedule. Now we just need to step up and win the games."
PACK PERFORMERS
- Trygger led the way for the Wolfpack with a 15-point, six-rebound performance. She also added a pair of blocks and a pair of steals
- Pierre recorded her 1,000th career collegiate point with a mid-range jumper at the 8:54 mark in the fourth. She finished the afternoon with eight points and five rebounds
- Lunan's 10 points off the bench led the Pack reserves, who outscored TCU's bench, 23-2. Her double-digit mark is her highest scoring performance through her first four collegiate games
- Brooks led NC State in rebounds and assists with 10 and six, respectively
- The Pack outscored TCU in transition, 13-6
UPCOMING
NC State will stay at home to play Coastal Carolina on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network. Tickets for the game are still available to be purchased HERE.
