NC State women's basketball rolls past Kansas State, reaches Sweet 16
There was a lot of sweet feelings for NC State women’s basketball Monday afternoon at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh.
In the final home game for one of the most decorated senior classes in school history, each of guards Raina Perez and Kai Crutchfield and forwards Kayla Jones and Elissa Cunane received a curtain call afforded to them during an 89-57 win over Kansas State.
“When they came in here, they took a leap of faith,” NC State women’s basketball head coach Wes Moore noted. “We weren’t in the top ten year after year, whatever. They took a leap of faith to come to NC State and to build something.
“And first couple years weren’t easy. It’s not easy jumping from high school to this level. It is tough. Sometimes they don’t understand, but what they have done is unbelievable. They deserve a lot of curtain calls.”
The top-seeded Wolfpack advanced to the Sweet 16 where it will face fifth-seeded Notre Dame, the only ACC team to defeat NC State this season. The game will be Saturday at a time to be announced.
Speaking to the depth of the talent Moore’s squad, the All-American Cunane only played 14 minutes and scored four points due to foul trouble, and yet the game was still beyond reach for Kansas State by the start of the fourth quarter, which NC State entered with a 66-39 advantage.
Jones led the hot-shooting Wolfpack with 18 points, making 8 of 9 shots from the field, including her lone three-point attempt. Perez had 15 points, six rebounds and four assists while making 6 of 11 shots, including 3 of 7 threes.
Overall, NC State shot 54.7 percent from the field (35 of 64) and 47.4 percent on threes (9 of 19).
NC State also received key performances off the bench, notably from junior Camille Hobby filling in for Cunane. Hobby had eight points while battling Kansas State All-American post Ayoka Lee.
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“She’s got a lot of confidence,” Moore said of Hobby. “And she wants to have a bigger role. Obviously, she will, but how many kids are going to do what she’s done? In the modern times of transfer portals and all that stuff, how many kids are going to sit there and say, ‘You know what, I’m just going to keep working and loving my teammates and being prepared.’
“There’s been a lot of games that we wouldn’t have won without Camille Hobby. So, it’s just a blessing to have here.”
Lee, who earlier this year scored 61 points in a game against Oklahoma, was held to 12 points and eight rebounds while battling her own foul trouble.
Wolfpack sophomore reserve guard Diamond Johnson added 15 points while making all five of her three-point tries.
The victory improved NC State to 31-3 on the season and is in its fourth straight Sweet 16.
“We always take it one game at a time,” Jones said. “And then we’re going to listen to Coach Moore’s game plan. Whoever we have next, we’re going listen to him, know the scout, be ready, and just be ready to play ball.
“It’s not going to be easy. So, going out there, throwing the first punch like I always say and being aggressive.”
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