The Wolfpack decided to waste absolutely no time dispensing with a bad SMU team, beginning the game on an 8-0 run and pouring it on the rest of the way. A bucket by Khamil Pierre with 4:21 to go in the first quarter gave NC State a double-digit lead that it would go on to […]
The Wolfpack decided to waste absolutely no time dispensing with a bad SMU team, beginning the game on an 8-0 run and pouring it on the rest of the way. A bucket by Khamil Pierre with 4:21 to go in the first quarter gave NC State a double-digit lead that it would go on to hold for the rest of the night.
NC State put together one of its best shooting efforts of the season, while SMU didn’t so much run offense as settle for bad jump shots as the panic set in early. Pierre and Tilda Trygger were dominant in the early going, and Qadence Samuels started fast as well.
The Pack held a 40-24 lead at the break and pushed the game into laugher territory with a 23-2 run during the third quarter. Zam Jones had a big part in that, bouncing back from a rough first half to score 11 in the third quarter. The rough start is understandable, of course, given that she’s not 100 percent and played the game in an ankle brace. She sure looked fine in that third quarter, though.
SMU actually had a good day shooting from three (36.4%) but made only 30% of its two-pointers, which is less than ideal. State dominated the boards at both ends of the floor, and limiting the Mustangs to just five offensive rebounds ensured this one was going to end really badly for the road team.
With the bulk of the second half being garbage time, Wes Moore got at least eight minutes of court time for everybody on the roster, and everybody got in the scoring column. Samuels led the Pack with 16 points, with Zam, Pierre, Trygger, and Zoe Brooks also in double figures. None played more than 26 minutes.
State improved to 5-1 in league play with the victory and is in a tie for third with UVA, a game behind undefeated Duke and Louisville (both 6-0).
Category: General Sports
