No. 10 NC State women’s basketball beat Vanderbilt in Cancun, Mexico in its first game of the Cancun Challenge. After a loss against UConn just a few days prior, the red-and-white is back on track to its winning ways.

The Wolfpack (5-1) defeated the Commodores (5-2) 82-73. NC State took the lead with the first basket and never looked back, retaining its edge through the entire game and leading by as much as 26 points.

The Pack took an early lead in the first quarter, scoring 25 points and allowing 18. The team drew seven personal fouls in just the first quarter and shot 8-10 in free throws. The Pack dominated in rebounds as well, hauling in 16 compared to just five for the Commodores. 

NC State kept steamrolling, scoring 20 more points in the second quarter compared to Vanderbilt’s nine. At this point, the Wolfpack was 5-8 from deep, with junior guard Diamond Johnson leading the charge.

Johnson had one of her best games of the season, scoring 16 points and shooting a season-high four 3-pointers out of six attempts for the game. The shorter guard, standing at 5-feet-5-inches, collects a large portion of her points via pinpoint shooting from beyond the arc. Her skill came in handy today, along with a season-high seven assists to help push the offense. On defense, Johnson collected a season-best nine rebounds, the most for the Wolfpack and just one rebound away from a double-double. She was all over the court for nearly the entire game.

The third quarter saw Vanderbilt score more points than NC State as the Commodores tallied 25 points to the Pack’s 21. Opposite of the first quarter, the Wolfpack had six personal fouls and allowed nine free throws, all of which the Commodores hit. Vanderbilt’s Ciaja Harbison led with 34 points, carrying the majority of the Commodores’ offense.

Leading the Wolfpack in scoring was senior forward Jakia Brown-Turner with a season-high 18-point performance. She scored from everywhere; in the field, from behind the arc and with free throws. Her offensive production from all over the court opened up opportunities for other players, allowing her to gather a season-high six assists.

With the score at 66-52, the Wolfpack held its lead and only dropped its double-digit advantage after Vanderbilt led a 10-3 run in the final three minutes of the game. With the lead secured, the red-and-white closed out the game with some terrific defense, not allowing a score in the final two minutes of the game.

NC State will play West Virginia on the second and final day of the Cancun Challenge tomorrow, Nov. 25. This will be the first time these two teams will face each other, providing a unique challenge for the Wolfpack. 

The game will begin at 4 p.m. in Cancun. The Pack will be back in Raleigh before the holidays on Dec. 11 to face the USF Bulls.