North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
17-7,10-3ACC
Virginia Tech
18-7,8-5ACC
Pack Uses Big Second Quarter to Secure First Win at Virginia Tech Since 2O22
2/8/2026 2:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BLACKSBURG, Va. – The NC State women's basketball team used a 25-8 edge, 21-2 run, in the second quarter and never looked back to defeat Virginia Tech at Cassell Coliseum, 82-62. NC State picked up its first win in Blacksburg since 2022.
NC State outscored VT in the paint (44-36) and fast break points (11-9), while shooting 46 percent from the field (29-of-63) and 95 percent from the free throw line (18-of-19).
Zoe Brooks and Khamil Pierre had a pair of 20-pieces, with Brooks finishing with 25 points, five rebounds, five assists and a career-high six steals and Pierre logging a 25-point, 12-rebound double-double.
NC State has improved to 17-7 and 10-3 in ACC play to secure a winning season in league play for the 11th time in the Wes Moore era.
Brooks got the Wolfpack on the board first, but the Hokies made its first three shots to lead 9-4 two minutes into the game. NC State was down by as many as seven twice in the first quarter, including down 19-12Â with 2:19 left. NC State used a 7-0 run sparked by a Destiny "Ky'She" Lunan 3-pointer to tie the game at 19 after the first quarter. Pierre tallied 10 of her points in the first quarter.
NC State took advantage of a pair of three-minute scoring droughts by VT in the second. The Pack went on a 10-0 run, as Devyn Quigley knocked down a 3-pointer and Brooks found Pierre off a steal to lead 31-23 with 6:15 left in the second, forcing VT to call a timeout. NC State then topped it with an 11-0 run, while VT was in another three-minute skid. Zamareya Jones knocked down a triple to extend the Pack's lead to 17 with 1:36 left in the second. NC State outscored VT 25-8 in the quarter to lead 44-27 at the half.
Tilda Trygger took it to the hoop for two to start the second half and then NC State went 0-for-4 on its next attempts. Trygger delivered another basket, getting NC State out of its drought of three minutes without a field goal, and then Jones hit her second 3-pointer to extend the Pack's lead to 20. With the Pack up 55-35 with 5:27 left in the third, VT called its second timeout. NC State had three turnovers in a little over a minute and the Hokies scored five points off those mishaps. Jones then responded with a triple and Brooks delivered a layup off a steal to extend the Pack's lead to 21. VT found a response before the end of the quarter, but NC State took a 64-45 lead into the fourth.
NC State missed its first two field goal attempts in the fourth, but Brooks delivered with a basket off the steal, as NC State led 68-47 with 7:36 left. VT knocked down a 3-pointer out of the timeout, but Pierre responded with a layup. The Hokies delivered a pair of baskets to cut the deficit to 14 with 2:34 left in the game, but that was the closest VT would get, as the Pack closed out the game on a 5-0 run. The Pack had the 18-17 edge in the quarter to win convincingly on the road, 82-62.
PACK PERFORMERS
- Pierre secured her 16th double-double of the season with 25 points and 12 rebounds. She is now tied for the fifth-most double-doubles in a season in program history
- Brooks had her sixth 20+ point outing of the season, finishing the win with 25 points to go with five rebounds, five assists and a career-best six steals. Thirteen of the junior's 25 points came at the free throw line, where she went 13-of-14 (92 percent)
- Jones finished in double figures for the 20th time this campaign, scoring 16 points. She also added four assists, one block, and one steal
- Trygger added eight points and six rebounds in the victory
- NC State held Virginia Tech to eight points in the second quarter, the 14th time this season the Pack have held an opponent to single digits in a quarter
- As a team, NC State shot a strong 18-of-19 (94 percent) at the free throw line
- The NC State defense forced Virginia Tech in 16 turnovers, turning them into 16 points on offense
- The Pack outscored the Hokies in the paint, 44-36, off turnovers, 16-11, and on the fast break, 11-9
- NC State's defense collected 10 steals, powered by Brooks' personal-best 10, which is tied for its third most in a game this season
- Today's win was NC State's first win in Blacksburg since March 5, 2022, when it beat the Hokies 70-55 in Cassell Coliseum
UPCOMING
NC State will play its second of three straight road games at Notre Dame on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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