NC State rolls FSU, 97-74

The NC State women are on some kind of heater right now, and damn if that ain’t timely, given the whole … thing … going on with the men’s squad. The ladies have put up at least 85 points in four straight games and very nearly pinned 100 on a good FSU team Sunday afternoon.

The Seminoles are very good offensively but have been iffy on the defensive end, and NC State took full advantage there, led again by Aziaha James and the guards. The Noles faltered under the early pressure and couldn’t keep up.

The amusing bit was the announcers’ fixation on FSU’s fast pace, as they openly wondered if NC State might have trouble with the tempo. FSU ranks fourth in pace but NC State ranks 71st and looks to push it plenty—not exactly a gigantic contrast in styles here. Anyway.

NC State got off to a good start, built a double-digit lead heading into the second quarter, and closed the first half on a 12-0 run to take a 20-point advantage into the break. The Pack scored 20+ points in each quarter and was just too consistent for FSU to mount a comeback—the Seminoles scored 43 points in the second half and never cut the margin closer than 14.

It was a thorough dismantling that got started with the guards again finding success off the dribble, led by James and Zoe Brooks. Both had outstanding games, James finishing with 22 points, and Brooks had 21 (as well as seven assists and seven rebounds).

I feel like we’ve seen a nasty ankle-breaker at least once per game over the last handful, and today Zam Jones got in on that action:

That girl had a family, Zam!

State’s guards have been impossible to keep out of the paint and they have been a ton of fun to watch.

The Pack got something from its entire starting five, with Madison Hayes, Saniya Rivers, and Tilda Trygger also scoring in double figures. Trygger also grabbed 14 rebounds, including six offensive boards. A really good effort all around.

State now has gotten through a tough week unblemished, and impressively so.