Instant observations: NC State snaps road losing streak vs. Clemson
No. 7 NC State (17-2) women’s basketball started another winning streak Thursday night The Wolfpack left little room for doubt, and the electric offense displayed against Duke Sunday traveled well for a 71-49 blowout win over Clemson (8-12).
Coming into this game, the Tigers were 1-6 in the ACC with 4 games against ranked opponents decided by 10 or fewer points. The Pack extended its winning streak over Clemson to 15 games, in-part thanks to senior guard Madison Hayes, who led the visitors with 24 points and 9 rebounds.
Breaking down Clemson’s zone
Clemson played zone defense for the majority of its matchup with the Wolfpack. That’s a common look for NC State over the past couple of months, and the program handled the challenge with ease Thursday.
The Tigers’ zone was as malleable as clay in this contest. NC State’s guards were able to draw defenders off of open shooters, and smart cutting by the visitors led to plenty of wide open looks right under the basket. Going into halftime, the Pack shot 5 of 10 from deep and 51.5 from the field.
NC State moved the ball extremely well as a team. The ball flew around the perimeter for most of the contest, and that often led to an open jump shot or a quick pass inside for an easy layup. A total of 4 Pack players finished with at least 3 assists. Junior guards Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers each set up 5 buckets.
Another career-high for Madison Hayes
Hayes scored a new career best 21 points against Virginia Tech Jan. 7. She surpassed that total less than a month later, knocking down 10 of 15 shots, including 3 triples. When the Wolfpack offense went cold in the second half, she consistently cut to open space in the opposing zone, which led to a few much-needed easy looks inside. The senior guard also grabbed a team-leading 3 offensive rebounds.
Containing Clemson forward Amari Robinson
Senior Clemson forward Amari Robinson came into this matchup averaging 17.8 points per game, which ranked No. 6 in the ACC. Senior forward Mimi Collins was her primary defender and played a significant role in holding the Tigers’ star to 2 points on 1 of 4 shooting in the first half. Robinson has scored double-digit points in her past seven contests, including a 37-point outing against Syracuse. She finished the clash with the Wolfpack 3 of 9 from the field with 10 points.
Saniya Rivers’ defense made a huge difference
Early in the fourth quarter, Clemson cut the Wolfpack lead to 12 points. Rivers responded with a pair of steals that turned into fast break layups. She continued her defensive intensity in passing lanes and at the point of attack that has consistently created easy offense for NC State all season. She finished Thursday’s game with 7 steals after recording 7 against Duke earlier this week. NC State swiped 16 steals as a team, including 3 by freshman guard Laci Steele and 2 by Hayes.
