The NC State women’s basketball team topped North Florida, 78-52, in a dominating performance in Reynolds Coliseum Sunday.
The Wolfpack (7-2) was led by a strong scoring output from its trio senior guards, and also forced the Ospreys (5-4) to commit 27 turnovers en route to the win. Senior Miah Spencer scored 14 points to lead the Pack, while also recording a career-high five steals.
State shot 28 of 49 from the field in the game. The 57% field-goal percentage for the Pack was the best for the team during head coach Wes Moore’s four-year tenure.
The Pack got off to a hot start, outscoring the Ospreys 27-13 in the first quarter. State was led early by the trio of guards, Spencer, senior Ashley Williams and senior Dominique Wilson, who scored 23 of the 24 points while going 8 of 9 from the field. They also did not miss a three-point attempt, shooting 3 of 3 from behind the arc.
“I was real proud of the way that our senior guards in particular came out to play,” Moore said. “Both ends of the floor, making plays on D, being able to score the ball well. Miah, Ashley and Dom all three really came out firing.”
State continued its dominance in the second quarter, as the first half drew to a close with the Pack up, 45-26. Spencer led all scorers with 14 points, shooting 4 of 5 from the field and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line in the first half. However, despite State’s overwhelming halftime lead, it was outrebounded by a much smaller Ospreys team, 15-11.
The Wolfpack utilized a full-court press early and often, frustrating the Osprey’s offense and forcing 17 first-half turnovers. However, on the few occasions that UNF was able to advance the ball smoothly, they took advantage of a lackluster Pack defense and shot 50 percent from the field and 80 percent from beyond the arc.
“We were just being aggressive,” Spencer said. “Just doing the little things, being active on defense, getting steals, pushing in transition, getting to the foul line. Our main focus was to be aggressive.”
Spencer set her career high in steals during the first half with five. Redshirt-freshman Kaila Ealey also had three steals, contributing to the 12 overall from the Wolfpack.
State continued to run away with the game in the third quarter, starting out on a 13-4 run. The Pack furthered the lead to 67-42 to end the quarter. In the third, State shot 10 of 13 from the field and were led by junior Chelsea Nelson who had eight points.
In the fourth quarter, the State bench players held down the fort as the starters rested. The period started out shaky for the young group, who committed five turnovers in the quarter to contribute to State’s 17 in the whole game. However, after a timeout they settled in to see the game out.
“Some careless turnovers,” Moore said. “Some kids maybe not knowing exactly their role in a certain defense, their role in a certain situation. Those young players have got to learn, that I’ve got to be able to trust you.”
The Pack will be back in action Dec. 11 against UNC-Wilmington in Reynolds Coliseum.
