With Wolfpack royalty watching, NC State women’s basketball dazzled and starred in an 83-67 victory over Pitt.

Former Wolfpack forward and now broadcasting icon Debbie Antonelli returned to Reynolds Coliseum to be inducted into the NC State women’s basketball Ring of Honor and was treated to an excellent performance by her former team. The Wolfpack (13-4, 5-1 ACC) left no doubt on the scoreboard, handling the Panthers (9-10, 1-5 ACC) to ensure Antonelli’s night would be remembered fondly by Wolfpack fans.

For Wolfpack fans and players alike, Antonelli is a beloved figure. Now one of the most recognizable figures in college basketball media, Antonelli still makes time for her alma mater. From spending time with players to being present at practices, Antonelli keeps a presence around the Wolfpack program.

“Been around her since my freshman year,” said senior guard Aziaha James. “So just growing up around her all these years, she’s helped me a lot. She’s still ducking my one-on-one but it’s ok. Doing a win for her night feels good.”

“First of all, [Antonelli’s] about the hardest-working person I know,” said head coach Wes Moore. “She definitely deserves all the accolades being thrown at her. … She’s done a lot for our university and for women’s basketball.”

From the jump, NC State scorched the nets like Steph Curry. By the game’s end, the Wolfpack buried 13 triples, leaving the Panthers in the dust. Shooting .520 from deep, the Wolfpack maintained its efficiency all night. Senior guard Aziaha James led the charge with a season-high six 3s, lighting up the Pittsburgh defense with ease.

NC State’s excellent ball movement played a critical role in the Pack’s hot shooting night. With 20 assists, the red-and-white passed up good shots for great ones, playing a selfless brand of basketball. Three different players racked up at least four assists, leaving Pitt scrambling to figure out who would set up the next NC State basket. Additionally, the Wolfpack took care of the basketball, with just 10 turnovers as a team.

“We drive really well and we go in transition really well, so they were trying to pack the paint a lot,” said graduate guard Madison Hayes. “Having one more pass and being ready to shift [the defense] was a big thing.”

Senior guard Saniya Rivers turned in an impressive all-around performance. The Wolfpack star recorded 15 points and seven assists, keeping the offense rolling throughout the evening. More impressive was Rivers’ defense, where she forced a trio of steals and two blocks, causing issues for Pitt all night.

“She’s a hard matchup,” Moore said. “This is what I envisioned her being, when she’s going and getting rebounds, she’s getting assists, obviously scoring the ball and shooting the 3 much better now. I think she’s really stepped up and made a big difference for our program.”

While NC State won big, there’s still work for the Pack to do if it wants to become an elite team. Pitt center Khadija Faye haunted the Wolfpack defense all night, taking advantage of every matchup Moore threw at her. Despite being doubled for much of the game, Faye totaled 28 points by the end of the night. Until the Wolfpack finds a solution to its interior defense, it’ll be vulnerable — especially on nights when it can’t shoot as well as it did tonight.

“We struggled, Faye was a handful,” Moore said. “Twenty-eight points and she averages 18 … you can’t just back off of her when she’s eight feet from the rim. She’s going to knock down the little turnaround.”

Next up, NC State will host Virginia in Reynolds Coliseum. The ACC dual is set to tip off at 2 p.m. on Sunday and will be televised on the CW.