NC State keeps up blistering pace with blowout win over Elon
NC State women’s basketball carried over its momentum from a thrilling win over UConn, holding Elon to 24 percent shooting from the field during a 90-35 win at Reynolds Coliseum Wednesday night.
The No. 14 Wolfpack improved to 3-0 thanks to an elite effort on the boards, winning the rebounding battle 57-20. A total of 7 players grabbed 5 or more rebounds.
Senior guard Madison Hayes (15 points, 6 rebounds) helped NC State start quickly, attacking the bucket for an and-1 layup, followed by field goals from both junior guard Aziaha James (20 points, 5 rebounds) and graduate forward Mimi Collins (18 points, 6 rebounds). Elon called a timeout 91 seconds into the game.
The Phoenix answered with an 8-2 scoring run, but that was the visitor’s only sustained offensive success Wednesday night.
Collins scored 14 points in the first period, hitting each of her 6 shots over the first 10 minutes. Saniya Rivers (6 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists) opened the game with 6 dimes on the Pack’s first 10 made field goals. After scoring a career-high 33 points against UConn Sunday, Rivers did not take a shot until late in the second quarter, instead choosing to facilitate and crash the boards.
Her first points came on a coast-to-coast layup after a steal. The Wolfpack, led by Rivers at points guard, assisted on 12 of its 17 made baskets in the first half but also recorded 13 turnovers.
“That just goes to show, if we take care of the ball, look what can happen,” head coach Wes Moore said.
NC State expanded its lead in the second quarter and did not allow a bucket until the 3:16 mark. The Phoenix managed just 2 points in the period, missing 14 of 15 shots. That was the program’s first time holding an opponent to 2 points in a quarter since Jan. 8, 2017, at Wake Forest.
Thanks to a 16-2 second quarter, which featured at least 4 minutes for each scholarship freshman, the Pack took a 44-14 lead into the locker room.
James scored 8 early points in the quarter to help open up the lead and force an early Elon timeout. Going into halftime, she led the team alongside Collins with 14 points each. NC State shot 59 percent in the opening 2 quarters and won the rebounding battle 31-7.
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“We need to realize that every game might not be UConn, but we’ve got to play them like they are to get better,” freshman guard Laci Steele said after the game.
Hayes started the scoring in the second half as well, hitting a shot from behind the arc. James continued to play at a high level in the third period and netted 6 points to raise her scoring total to 20 less than 4 minutes in. The junior guard left in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury, but Moore believes it is not serious.
“I think she’s fine…We think she just maybe either bumped knees or fell on the floor,” Moore said.
NC State dealt with a lengthy field goal drought by hitting all 8 of its third quarter free throws, finishing 17 of 17 for the game, and only allowing 4 points in the final 5:57 of the period. That was the best free throw shooting performance in Reynolds Coliseum history.
Zoe Brooks recorded her first points of the contest in the fourth, starting off the scoring with an and-1 layup. She totaled 7 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists Wednesday night.
The Wolfpack finished the game on an 11-2 scoring run, holding the Phoenix to 8 points on 25 percent shooting.
“Overall, you’ve got to be pleased when you give up 35 points, pretty good effort, but I can see that we’re still going to see a lot of things on there we can do better,” Moore
NC State returns to the court Sunday, Nov. 19, for a 2 p.m. matchup against Rhode Island at Reynolds Coliseum.
