WOMENS BASKETBALL

North Carolina State 93, Virginia 66

By MITCHELL NORTHAM
ASSOCIATED PRESS

RALEIGH, N.C. - Zoe Brooks scored a season-high 19 points to help No. 6 North Carolina State rout Virginia 93-66.

Brooks, a freshman making her fifth start, shot 7 of 12 from the floor and also had three assists. The Wolfpack (15-1, 3-1 ACC) also got 17 points from Madison Hayes, 15 points from Aziaha James, 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds from Mimi Collins, and 13 points from Lexi Steele.

Camryn Taylor paced Virginia (8-7, 0-4 ACC) with 22 points and six rebounds before fouling out, while Kymora Johnson added 14 points.

The Wolfpack never trailed and jumped to a big lead by closing the first quarter on a 19-3 run. The second quarter was all Steele, as she scored 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting in the frame as the Wolfpack took a 23-point lead into halftime.

N.C. State led by 34 points following a 22-9 run in the third quarter.

Wolfpack starting forward River Baldwin missed her second straight game after suffering a right ankle injury last week against Florida State.

BIG PICTURE

Virginia: This loss was Virginia’s fifth in its last six games and the schedule doesn’t get any easier. Virginia’s next three games are all against opponents ranked in this week’s AP Top 25. What doomed the Cavaliers against N.C. State was their defense. N.C. State’s 48.5% shooting mark from the field is the best a Virginia opponent has shot this season.

N.C. State: The Wolfpack got a bounce-back win after enduring their first loss of the season on Sunday on a last-second shot at Virginia Tech. The key for N.C. State was its ability to succeed in transition. The Wolfpack outscored the Cavaliers 36-14 on fast breaks and turned 16 Virginia turnovers into 23 points.

North Carolina State athletics press release

January 11, 2024