After 11 days off for the holidays, the No. 3 NC State women’s basketball team will travel to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech on Thursday, Dec. 31. 

The Wolfpack (8-0, 3-0 ACC) is coming off a dominating 78-47 win over Miami while Georgia Tech (4-1, 2-0 ACC) defeated Notre Dame 82-67 in its last game on Dec. 13. However, the Yellow Jackets have not taken the court since then due to COVID-19 contact tracing postponing two of their games. 

The Yellow Jackets’ other ACC win was an 86-68 home win against Boston College. NC State and No. 2 Louisville are the only other schools in the conference who are undefeated in ACC play. 

Georgia Tech is not known as an offensive team as it ranks 13th out of 15 teams in the ACC in scoring at 70.8 points per game. That being said, the Yellow Jackets do have three players averaging double figures in scoring that can carry the team.

It all starts inside for Georgia Tech with forward Lorela Cubaj, who averages a double-double with 15.6 points and 12.6 rebounds a game. Both of those stats lead the team. For NC State head coach Wes Moore, containing Cubaj will be objective No. 1 in trying to remain undefeated. 

Guard Lotta-Maj Lahtinen is another standout offensively for the Yellow Jackets. She is second on the team in scoring with 14.6 points per game. Look for her to try and create space on the outside, as she shoots 39.1% from behind the arc. 

Rounding out the double-digit scorers for Georgia Tech is a freshman guard Loyal McQueen. In her first year as a college basketball player, she has fit in well, averaging 11.6 points per game. 

On defense, the Yellow Jackets give up just 59.8 points per game, which is third best in the ACC, while the visiting Wolfpack ranks at the top of the list, giving up 56.9 points per game. 

Junior center Elissa Cunane and senior forward Kayla Jones have led the way so far for NC State, averaging 15.9 and 13.4 points per game, respectively. While they will be the focal points on offense, sophomore wing Jakia-Brown Turner will try to find her shot early on too. She is third on the team in scoring at 13.1 points per game. 

NC State and Georgia Tech split its two meetings last year. The Yellow Jackets upset the Wolfpack at Reynolds Coliseum in February, but NC State got its revenge in the first game of its ACC Championship run in Greensboro. 

Tipoff from McCamish Pavilion is scheduled for 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. The conference matchup will be televised on regional sports networks.