NC State cruises past Virginia Tech, 82-62

A big second quarter performance proved decisive for NC State in Blacksburg, as the Wolfpack outscored Virginia Tech 25-8 over the last 10 minutes of the opening half. After a slow start, State scored the final seven points of the first quarter to even the score at 19, then utilized separate runs of 10-0 and 11-0 in the second to break the game open. Tech went over eight minutes in the second quarter without making a shot.

Zoe Brooks and Khamil Pierre served as the driving force for the Pack offensively, and matched Virginia Tech’s first half score (27) by themselves. Brooks got downhill pretty much whenever she wanted to, which led to another busy afternoon at the free throw line (she was 13-14) and set up some easy baskets for Pierre.

Tech basically kept pace in the second half but needed to do just a wee bit more than that to exert a little game pressure on the Pack; as it was, the Hokies never cut the margin below 14 points.

NC State’s output was consistent throughout—the Pack scored at least 18 points in each quarter—as the Hokies could not find any solutions for stopping Brooks and Pierre, who scored 25 points apiece. Pierre notched yet another double-double, while Brooks was all up in Tech’s cookie jar, finishing with a career-high six steals.

With the way this game played out, NC State didn’t need a lot from the perimeter, but Zam Jones was there to oblige when opportunity arose, and finished 4-9 from beyond the arc. Tech made four threes as a team.

The win improved NC State’s league record to 10-3, and this was impressive work against a Virginia Tech squad that is very much on the bubble and really could have used an upset today. Torvik only had State as a three-point favorite.