#9 NC State 57 #1 South Carolina 71: BOX SCORE (with notes)

The 9th ranked NC State Women’s Basketball team fell 57-71 to #1 South Carolina yesterday in the Ally Tipoff in Charlotte.

Freshman Guard Zam Jones led the Wolfpack with 16 points, sinking 4 of her 7 three-point attempts.

Senior Aziaha James had 13 points (4-9 FG), and led the team with 3 assists and 3 steals. She also led the team with 4 turnovers.

Sophomore Zoe Brooks was the only other NC State player to score in the double digits, with 11 points, shooting 5 of 8 from the field.

Senior Guard Saniya Rivers struggled mightily against her former team, making 1 of her 7 field goal attempts, finishing with 4 points. She did have a team high 7 rebounds.

The Wolfpack continue to start 4 guards. In game 1, Lizzy Williamson was the 1 post player in the starting line up, starting along with James, Hayes, Rivers and Brooks. Yesterday it was Sophomore Mallory Collier. Even though Collier started, Freshman Forward Tilda Trygger played 22 minutes.

Senior Forward Caitlin Weimar was the Wolfpack’s big pickup in the Transfer Portal this offseason. Weimar transferred in from Boston University, where she is the reigning Patriot League Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Last year she averaged  18.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. Weimar is out after having hip surgery, and we don’t know when she will return.

Obviously, running a small lineup will catch up to you when you play a team like South Carolina. The Gamecocks outrebounded the Wolfpack 40-25, and had 11 offensive rebounds compared to 3. South Carolina’s paint presence was crazy, scoring 50 of their 71 points in the paint.

South Carolina shot the ball better, won the battle of the offensive glass and the turnover battle.

NC State will host Kent State this Thursday night at 7pm on ACC Network Extra.