WOMENS BASKETBALL

North Carolina State 72, Duke 57

AARON BEARD
ASSOCIATED PRESS

RALEIGH, N.C.- Aziaha James scored a career-high 33 points and fourth-ranked North Carolina State got 24 points off turnovers to beat Duke 72-57.

The 5-foot-9 junior guard made 12 of 20 shots, including three 3-pointers, to go with eight rebounds. Her effort, along with N.C. State capitalizing on Duke’s turnovers, helped the Wolfpack (16-2, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) regroup from a loss at Miami on Thursday.

James set her new personal high with three straight free throws with 6:13 left in the game after the Blue Devils (12-6, 4-3) had trimmed a 23-point deficit to 62-49.

Mimi Collins added 16 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks for the Wolfpack, who shot 45.5%.

Kennedy Brown scored 14 points for the Blue Devils, who were coming off a home win against No. 14 Virginia Tech that included an impressive defensive showing. This time, however, the Blue Devils started off with a series of first-quarter turnovers that helped get the Wolfpack multiple easy scoring chances to build an early lead.

Duke finished with 19 turnovers.

It didn’t help that the Blue Devils struggled to make shots through the first three quarters, either. Duke shot just 32.6% through 30 minutes before a better-shooting fourth, though the Blue Devils already were down 59-38 entering that quarter.

The Blue Devils hit 8 of 15 shots in the fourth to twice get within 13 points. James answered each time, including a stickback with 2:40 left to crack the 30-point mark and give the Wolfpack a 69-54 edge.

BIG PICTURE

Duke: The Blue Devils arrived with a surge from three straight league wins, the last two coming when they allowed just 46 points to both Georgia Tech and the preseason ACC favorite Hokies on Thursday night. But the defensive success that had led those successes is hard to match when the Wolfpack continued to get extra possessions and live-ball turnovers going the other way.

N.C. State: The Wolfpack started 14-0 but had lost two of three, first by a last-second basket at Virginia Tech and then a 73-59 loss against the Hurricanes on Thursday. James’ output was an reminder of her perimeter punch, while the Wolfpack’s ability to convert turnovers into points helped build a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

NC State athletics press release

January 21, 2024