NC State women’s basketball relies on depth, balance to pull away from Duke, 77-62
N.C. State proved that even when it doesn’t play its best, it’s still capable of getting things done.
The Wolfpack had its struggles and Duke didn’t take advantage. The result was a 77-62 win. The Blue Devils will be kicking themselves for a missed opportunity.
N.C. State used a 12-0 run in the final frame to blow the game open, shooting 11-of-12 from the floor in the fourth quarter. All five Wolfpack starters scored in double figures.
Duke (15-9, 6-8) led at the half after a dominant second quarter. N.C. State (23-3, 14-1) shot 3 of 14 from the floor in the second and the Blue Devils outscored the Pack, 12-6. At one point, N.C. State missed eight straight shots. Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, they couldn’t keep N.C. State down for long. Not many teams have.
“It’s nice to have a veteran team,” Wolfpack head coach Wes Moore said. “We went with the veterans down the stretch and they just kept making plays, making shots. They (Duke) have veterans also that came in here with a lot of experience. We knew it was going to be a battle. Really in the fourth period we hit a lot of shots. That ended up being the difference in the game.”
The Pack woke up after halftime, as it tends to do. N.C. State outscored Duke 17-8 in the third quarter, showing the fight it lacked in the first half. The Pack even went a stretch without its best player when center Elissa Cunane missed the final 2:35 of the third quarter after she got tangled with Onome Akindode-James. Cunane hit her head on the floor as both players fell and briefly went to the locker room.
The two teams traded baskets early in the fourth. A layup by Akindode-James pulled the Blue Devils to within one on a layup. Each time Duke got going, though, N.C. State had a counter punch.
Late in the game, the one-two punch came in the form of consecutive baskets from Jakia Brown-Turner and Raina Perez.
Duke’s Jade Williams scored a three-point play to make it 56-54, but Brown-Turner scored a bucket to stretch the lead to four with 4:38 remaining.
Brown-Turner had 15 of her 19 points in the second half. The junior from Oxon Hill, Maryland, broke out of her slump against the Blue Devils. Brown-Turner was a combined 2 of 12 the previous two games, but saved N.C. State with nine points in the fourth quarter.
“She’s a prime time player,” Moore said of Brown-Turner. “She did a great job getting to the rim today and defensively her length gave them some trouble at times. Again, when the game is on the line we’ve got some kids that are ready to step up.”
Brown-Turner didn’t miss a shot in the second half.
“Just reading what the defense gave me,” Brown-Turner said. “My teammates were telling me to attack, be confident and that helped me get through the second half.”
She wasn’t the only Pack player who had a second-half resurgence. Cunane had 11 of her 15 in the second half. The Wolfpack as a team only hit one 3 in the first half. N.C. State finished the game with six made 3-pointers. It was the first time in ACC play that all five starters finished in double figures. Perez (12), Kai Crutchfield (11) and Kayla Jones (10) rounded out the scoring for N.C. State.
Lexi Gordon led Duke with 13. Blue Devils freshman guard Shayeann Day-Wilson added 12. Duke, though, couldn’t slow down a Wolfpack club that went 9-of-9 from the floor to end the game.
N.C. State shot 91% from the floor in the fourth quarter.
“It always feels good when your teammates are hitting shots,” Perez said. “It was a close game and then we started hitting shots. It boosted our self esteem. We don’t like to be in those tight situations so getting out of them always feels nice.”
PLAYING THROUGH SLOW STARTS
Moore said having so many veteran players is like having extra coaches on the floor. Perhaps that’s why when the team struggles, he lets it fight its way out. It’s not like it’s new to the team. N.C. State is accustomed to falling behind, but once it clicks, the tide of the game can turn quickly.
The Wolfpack led by five heading into the fourth quarter. A barrage of 3-pointers and layups later, N.C. State was ahead by 16.
“I wanted us to get off to a better start today and we kind of did that,” Moore said. “We had some breakdowns defensively, gave up a few layups, but at the end of the day with about eight minutes left in the game I put the veterans back in there. I have total confidence in them.”
The key to the run wasn’t just a made basket.
“The mindset is getting stops,” Brown-Turner said. “We know that when we play defense, offense will come. Basically just playing harder and playing tough, that helps us get the lead.”
FINISHING STRONG
N.C. State has won 14 ACC games, tying a school record. Under Moore the Pack has won 20 games or more eight times. The Wolfpack is in sole possession of first place in the league and with three games remaining, has a great shot at winning the regular-season title.
N.C. State has won the past two ACC Tournament championships and has goals of winning it all. So is a regular-season title important?
“We hadn’t won a regular-season (title) in 32 years,” Moore said. “So, yeah, it means a lot. I’m not putting any pressure on them, but let’s make sure we don’t have any regrets. Let’s make sure we go out everyday trying to get better and raise the bar.”
As Moore said this, Perez and Brown-Turner sat nearby. Moore pointed at his two players and said he wants them to come back 10 years from now and be celebrated as regular-season champs.
“I want it for these players,” Moore said. “I’d like to see us put another banner up there. Yeah, it means a lot.”
This story was originally published February 13, 2022 at 4:00 PM.
