No. 7 NC State womens’ basketball secured its third-straight win, defeating the Boston College Eagles 82-61 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
In the final game of its two game road trip, NC State (18-2, 6-2 ACC) pieced together strong offensive production in all four quarters to power ahead. Feeding off of four players in double digits, the Pack quickly grabbed the lead and never looked back. The team’s defensive effort should not be overlooked as it forced 11 turnovers and gave Boston College (11-11, 3-6 ACC) its first home conference loss.
From the tip, both teams hit the ground running with the score quickly standing at 8-5 in favor of NC State less than three minutes into the game. This strong start was attributed to both graduate center River Baldwin and graduate forward Mimi Collins, who both attacked the paint early and got the Pack’s first eight points. Despite the strong start, the Eagles continued to find ways to respond, establishing a strong offensive attack.
Despite grabbing the lead back with a pair of free throws, the Pack cooled off as it went two and a half minutes without hitting a shot from the field, finishing the quarter 2-8 after a strong start. However, NC State was effective in preventing any momentum from Boston College as they only connected with one shot in the last five minutes of the quarter as the score at a 16-13 NC State advantage at the break.
Much like the preceding quarter, NC State got off to a blazing start in the second, utilizing strong defense to keep the Eagles at bay while posting an early 9-0 run. This included a 3-pointer from junior guard Aziaha James — the Pack’s first shot from behind the arc to put the score 25-13. This sparked perhaps her best quarter of play, compiling ten points and a pair of threes in the second quarter. She finished the game with an impressive 24 points and a trio of three-pointers.
After holding the Eagles scoreless for the first three minutes of the second period, the home team finally connected on a deep three. However, the Pack did not waste any time and quickly responded with an and-one layup from junior guard Saniya Rivers who secured a strong performance in the game with 15 points, five rebounds and a pair of steals.
Feeding off of James and Rivers, the Pack continued to keep the margin at a healthy amount by out-rebounding the Eagles 23-14 in the first half. Even after the Pack began to cool off in the waning minutes of the half, timely shots from both Collins and senior guard Madison Hayes helped NC State finish the half with a 42-26 lead.
After halftime, NC State once again hit the ground running, with Baldwin putting up a layup which was the beginning of a heated back-and-forth struggle that saw both teams shoot very effectively. In the first five minutes, the Eagles put up 13 points but to their frustration the Pack responded with 13 points, making the score 55-39. The Pack found success inside and outside of the paint when Hayes hit a three which would eventually lead to a double double performance for her with a solid 15 point outing for her along with 14 rebounds.
After a back-and-forth battle in the first five minutes of the quarter, both teams began to struggle offensively as both failed to connect on a shot from the field for the better part of the next three minutes. Much like it did in the first, the Pack found ways to regroup to prevent any chance of a comeback. After finally getting the offense going, the Wolfpack only allowed three points within the last four minutes of the quarter.
With the game moving into the final stage, the Eagles were anxious to get going, immediately utilizing a 9-0 run which included a pair of 3-pointers from Andrea Daley. Perhaps not getting the shots it wanted, NC State found itself in desperate need of a basket as its lead was trimmed down to 65-54.
With a newfound sense of urgency, the Pack responded with a 17-7 run of its own to finish the game. This largely included the efforts of Mimi Collins who found her rhythm in the paint as she was able to get the shots she wanted. She came into her own in the fourth, posting nine points. Being able to secure the late run, the Pack’s lead was once again more manageable, standing at 82-61 as it largely slammed the door on a potential Eagles comeback.
Throughout the afternoon, NC State once again put together a very strong performance in which it shot a collective 50% from the field and 38% from the three. It was able to utilize fast starts throughout the game and rally around strong defense to protect its lead. Despite a late push from the Eagles, the Pack was able to dig deep and pull away at the end.
The Wolfpack will return home to face rival North Carolina on Thursday, February 1. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. and will be televised on ACC Network.
