Solid Defensive Outing Leads #4 Pack Past Demon Deacons
Elissa Cunane(Northern Guilford High School) with 15 points/10 rebounds/3 assists for N.C. State Wolfpack
from www.gopack.com:
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The fourth-ranked NC State women’s basketball team (14-2, 9-2 ACC) put together one of its best defensive performances of its conference slate on Thursday evening, defeating Wake Forest (11-9, 8-8 ACC) by a 66-47 score inside LJVM Coliseum.
The Pack limited the Demon Deacons to just 31 percent (18-of-58) from the floor and 23.1 percent (3-of-13) from long range. Wake Forest’s 47 points tied as the fewest that an ACC opponent has scored against NC State in 2020-21 and marked the fifth time this season that the Pack has held a team to under 50 points in a game.
Offensively, Jakia Brown-Turner led NC State with 21 points, just two shy of her career high. The sophomore knocked down just two three pointers but showed her ability to attack the basket on her way to shooting 9-of-14 total on the night.
Kayla Jones posted 16 points, 12 of which she scored in the first half, and shot an extremely efficient 7-of-9 (.778). Elissa Cunane(Northern Guilford High School) added 15 points and 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the year, and the center also dished out three assists.
Despite hitting just five three pointers, the Wolfpack once again dominated the paint and outscored Wake Forest 40-24 in that category. NC State also stifled the Demon Deacon transition offense with 12 fast break points to Wake Forest’s one.
The teams traded runs in the opening half before NC State took control of a double-digit lead that it did not lose ahold of. After the Deacs tied the game at 24-24 with 6:46 left in the first half, NC State outscored them 15-2 to close out the second quarter.
NC State opened the second half by scoring the first six and 10 of the first 11 to extend its lead to 20+, and Wake Forest did not draw closer than 17 points for the remainder of the outing.
Wake Forest senior Ivana Raca put up 18 points, but NC State, led by senior guard Kai Crutchfield’s effort, held Gina Conti to just four points on the night.
Next up, NC State will host North Carolina for its annual Play4Kay Game on Sunday, Feb. 21. Tip-off is scheduled for 12 p.m. from Kay Yow Court, and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
While the game is closed to the general public, Wolfpack Nation can still be part of the Play4Kay Virtual Sellout. Purchase your tickets for that here.
CLICK HERE for photos and other team details….