No. 9 NC State women’s basketball boasted its strengths in a 91-54 victory over Anderson in an exhibition contest Tuesday night at Reynolds Coliseum.

“We have a long way to go,” said head coach Wes Moore. “Last year was special, and you get greedy and get used to it, and you want to keep playing at a high level. We miss some of those players that have graduated and missed some of the ones that were out tonight with injuries, but overall, we just got to play better.”

Moore trotted out nine players throughout the night, with graduate guard Madison Hayes and senior guard Aziaha James sitting out while sophomore guard Zoe Brooks was in her jersey but didn’t play. With the only member of last season’s starting lineup on the court being senior guard Saniya Rivers, the Pack sported several fresh faces.

Multiple bench players from last year made an appearance on the court against Anderson. Graduate center Lizzy Williamson, sophomore center Mallory Collier, sophomore forward Maddie Cox and sophomore guard Laci Steele put in work, totaling a combined 28 points and 20 rebounds.

From the start, the leadership of the team was put on display when an early foul seemed to throw the game out of sync. However, Rivers wasted little time exhibiting her leadership as she helped calm down the team. Before long, the young talent of NC State began to shine.

“I think she’s really taking it upon herself to try to be a leader and be a little more vocal and help the young ones,” Moore said. “That’s the thing. You remind them that someone helped you. Your freshman and sophomore year, people were helping you, and now it’s your turn. And I think she’s done a really good job of that.”

From the get-go, the younger talent immediately took hold as Steele drained a 3. This helped kickstart a strong beginning of the contest as the Pack ripped a 15-0 run to help secure an early 20-6 lead. In this time, freshman guards Zamareya Jones and Devyn Quigley scored their first Wolfpack baskets while Quigley finished the game with 10 points.

“It felt good just being out there, getting used to it,” Jones said. “I got some work to do, but it’s the first game so we’re just gonna keep going.”

With the Pack in control early, it did not relinquish its lead as it continued to roll along behind the talent of Jones.

At the same time, the post-production came into play during the second frame. Williamson scored eight of her 10 points in the second half to go along with five rebounds. With the team looking for a new identity in the paint, she made a convincing argument for herself going forward.

Meanwhile, fans bore witness to freshman center Lorena Awou, who found success underneath the basket. With battles both in the paint and on the floor, Awou was a physical player and efficient scorer for the red-and-white, finishing the matchup with 12 points and six boards.

It appeared Moore was making an attempt to fill the roles of center River Baldwin and forward Mimi Collins left on the court. Collier and freshman forward Tilda Trygger made convincing arguments, alongside Williamson and Awou, to contribute to these positions on the court.

The key trouble for the red-and-white was the dramatic number of turnovers. With 16 by the end of the matchup, the Wolfpack still needs to find chemistry on the court..

“We’re turning the ball over too much, so we got to do a better job,” Moore said. “Our turnover ratio is not where we want it to be and we’ve got to guard better … We just need to share the ball, move the ball and really take some pride defensively on getting stops and shutting down the person we’re guarding. So a lot of things that we have to clean up in a hurry.”

Jones made it clear that she will be a statement player going forward. A McDonald’s All-American and ranked as high as No. 17 by ESPN, Jones has some high expectations coming into Raleigh and showcased a sneak peak of her talent to the crowd. With 19 points, nine rebounds and four assists, Jones appeared to shake off her nerves quickly to fit in with the Pack.

“I’ve been telling her since day one, since she got here, that she’s special,” Rivers said. “Even before when she was coming on visits, I told her I would love to play with her. I’m very fortunate. She can do everything, play both sides of the ball, feed her teammates and also score … She’s just going to do anything she can do to contribute to a win. We’re lucky to have her.”

The Wolfpack will hang its Final Four banner and kick off the 2024-25 season with a home game against East Tennessee State University on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The home-opening tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ACCN Extra.