NC State women’s basketball traveled over 2,500 miles to Portland, Oregon, to take on Stanford in the Sweet 16. The Wolfpack have become one of the most dominant, resilient teams in the NCAA Tournament, and this game was no exception — the Wolfpack downed the Cardinal 77-67.
Down by 10 points at the half, the Pack (30-6) trailed behind a lights-out Stanford (30-6) team that is not used to giving up leads, but one thing the Cardinal has not faced so far this season is junior guard Aziaha James. The Virginia native cemented herself as one of the most clutch players for the red-and-white by posting 29 points, five assists and 3-5 from beyond the arc. Carrying all of Wolfpack nation on her back, James led the Pack to its third Elite Eight in program history.
From the tip-off, it was clear that this was going to be a battle. Each team played tough and tight defense to ensure few shots were taken and forced both teams to be under 15 points at the end of the first frame. It was Stanford who got the first wave of momentum, scoring 25 points in the second quarter to capture a 37-27 halftime lead.
Forward Cameron Brink, a future top WNBA draft pick, was hyped up to be the Wolfpack’s biggest problem on the Cardinal’s bench, and she delivered in the paint. Finishing the matchup with 13 points, nine rebounds and three assists, the future pro player kept Stanford in the game when the Pack caught fire.
Stanford’s luck ran out during the third quarter, with the red-and-white stealing every trace of momentum from the Cardinal’s game. A clutch 3-pointer by graduate forward Mimi Collins put the Pack within three halfway through the frame, and freshman guard Zoe Brooks captured a fastbreak layup off a Stanford turnover to tie it 43-43.
Brooks, who scored 16 points in the round of 32 against Tennessee, backed James up in the paint and helped drive NC State forward in the second half. Alongside her, was junior guard Saniya Rivers who tallied 13 points and seven rebounds against the Cardinals.
Back-to-back 3-point jumpers by James secured a lead for NC State at the end of the third quarter, and four made free throws between her and Rivers furthered the wave of Pack momentum.
Free throws should never be taken for granted in a game of basketball, especially in the NCAA Tournament. NC State made 16 compared to Stanford’s six, including a 100% free throw rate from Rivers. James made 10 of her 11 attempts, proving that her physicality on the court pays off when she gets to the line.
Holding Stanford to 10 points in the third quarter was critical to the Pack’s win. With five turnovers from the Cardinal in the third frame alone, it was easy for the Wolfpack to take over and keep the game on its side. Heading into the fourth quarter up 55-47, the sky was the limit for the ladies of the court.
Starting the fourth quarter on a 7-1 run, NC State put its foot on the gas and never looked back. After a 28-point third quarter, the Pack backed that up with a 22-point final frame that etched its name in the Elite Eight. While forward Kiki Iriafen got hot for the Cardinals — scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter alone — she was no match for the Pack’s dominating lead.
Stanford is set to join the ACC officially later this year, so while this game was played like a playoff matchup, it will soon become a regular mark on the schedule for NC State.
“Obviously, Tara VanDerveer [is a] Hall of Fame coach, winningest coach in the country,” head coach Wes Moore said before NC State’s matchup against the Cardinal. “Stanford is obviously a program with a lot of legacy.”
For the second time in three years, the team dances into the Elite Eight and is set to take on either Gonzaga or Texas on Sunday, March 31. The quarter-finals are set for 3 p.m. EST on ABC.
