GREENSBORO, N.C. (WNCN/AP) — After two Triangle colleges went head to head in an early Saturday game, No. 7 NC State University walked away with the win over No. 14 UNC, 66-55.
NC State is heading to the ACC Championship game for the fifth time in six seasons. No other team has done that in the ACC in that time span. The closest team to achieve that is Notre Dame, but only twice. Funny enough, No. 6 Notre Dame may make it a third if they can pull a win past No. 11 Duke.
Madison Hayes and reserve Lorena Awou each had 10 points as the Wolfpack (26-5) avenged a one-point regular-season road loss against the Tar Heels.
Aziaha James led the way in scoring with 19 points while snagging nine rebounds for the Wolfpack. For the Tar Heels, junior guard Indya Nivar scored 13 points.
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North Carolina State’s Saniya Rivers (22) and Aziaha James (10) celebrate after beating North Carolina in an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown) -
North Carolina State’s Saniya Rivers, left, and North Carolina’s Indya Nivar (24) battle for a ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown) -
North Carolina State players celebrates after defeating North Carolina in an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
The Wolfpack rattled off the last 16 points of the first quarter for a 16-5 lead, delighting the decidedly pro-N.C. State crowd. North Carolina’s scoring drought extended for almost 11 minutes, creating a 21-5 hole.
James, who exited for a stretch after a hard first-quarter fall, scored the Wolfpack’s first six points of the second half to rebuild a double-figure lead after North Carolina made it 33-26 at halftime.
The Wolfpack will face either No. 6 Notre Dame or No. 11 Duke, who play Saturday afternoon in the other ACC semifinal matchup.