NC State women’s basketball traveled to Athens, Georgia to battle the Georgia Bulldogs on Monday, Dec. 5 in Stegeman Coliseum. Despite a rocky stretch in the first half, a strong second half effort from the No. 8 Wolfpack ultimately led the team to a 65-54 victory over the Bulldogs.
In the first quarter, the red-and-white jumped out to an early lead, outscoring Georgia (8-2) 10-4 in the first few minutes of play. However, the Bulldogs rallied to go on an 11-0 run and effectively establish a five-point lead. NC State (8-1) only managed to score four more points for the remainder of the quarter as Georgia extended its lead to eight points, 22-14.
The Bulldogs’ success early in the game can be attributed to their aggressive press that enabled them to force turnovers from NC State and head the other way for a couple of easy baskets. The Pack, averaging 12.8 turnovers per game, committed five turnovers in just the first quarter against Georgia.
The start of the second quarter was more of the same; the Bulldogs’ length and athleticism clearly intimidated the Wolfpack as the team continued to make poor decisions offensively that resulted in turnovers and missed opportunities at the rim.
A surge of energy from the red-and-white came with a little over three minutes remaining in the second quarter, as it closed out the half on a 8-0 run. With just two seconds left to play, graduate forward Mimi Collins pulled down an offensive rebound and hit a quick jumper to shrink the deficit to three points, 32-29.
NC State began the third quarter as though it hadn’t lost any of the momentum it had built going into halftime — an observation that fans may find surprising as the Pack has made a bad habit of coming out flat after halftime. Nevertheless, NC State extended its 8-0 run to 18-0, effectively taking a 35-32 lead, its first since its initial lead in the first quarter.
The Wolfpack’s success came from its much more aggressive attack on the Bulldogs’ press, as the team took its time to make smart passes to advance the ball. A significant improvement in the Pack’s rebounding effort also helped to fuel the victory. After being outrebounded 23-11 in the first half, the red-and-white bounced back to grab 27 rebounds to Georgia’s 20 in the second.
NC State finished the quarter with a seven-point lead, 48-41 and never gave it up for the remainder of the game. Collins was instrumental to the Pack’s offense, leading all scorers with 19 points. With the win, the Pack captures its fourth consecutive win over a Power Five team and records its first win over the Bulldogs in program history.
Having concluded its five-game road stretch, the Wolfpack will return to Reynolds Coliseum on Sunday, Dec. 11 to face off against the USF Bulls at 2 p.m.
