NC State Lets Top-10 Win Slip Away in Overtime Loss to Louisville

NC State had a Top-10 victory in hand, but let it slip away Sunday afternoon at Reynolds Coliseum, falling 88-80 to No. 9 Louisville in overtime. As a result, the Cardinals moved up one spot in the Week 12 AP Poll released today.

The Wolfpack led by five points at halftime and extended the lead to as many as 13 with 4:09 remaining in the third quarter.

Unfortunately, Louisville caught fire late in the period, going on a 13–0 run beginning at the 1:04 mark of the third to take the lead.

Both teams traded baskets in a high-level fourth quarter. Louisville shot 55.6% from the field in the final frame, while NC State shot an impressive 61.5%, setting up a dramatic finish.

Louisville led by six with 4:27 remaining, but NC State responded with a run of its own, taking a five-point lead with 43 seconds left.

In the final 40 seconds, however, the Cardinals connected on a three-pointer and knocked down both free throws, while the Wolfpack missed all three of their attempts.

Overtime was one-sided. Louisville went 5-of-8 from the field, while NC State managed just 1-of-7.

Junior forward Khamil Pierre continued her strong play, scoring 26 points for the second straight game while shooting 10-of-18 from the floor.

Sophomore guard Zam Jones added 20 points, hitting 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. She has now made 12 of her last 22 three-point attempts over the past three games and led the team with six assists.

Junior guard Zoe Brooks struggled from the field (5-of-14) and turned the ball over five times, but still filled the stat sheet with 19 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals.

NC State actually shot a higher percentage from the field than Louisville, but the difference came on the glass and in ball security. The Cardinals grabbed 21 offensive rebounds compared to NC State’s nine, and the Wolfpack committed 19 turnovers.

Depth also proved costly. NC State received just five points from its bench, while Louisville’s reserves combined for 57 points.

The Wolfpack will have a week to reset before traveling to Virginia next Sunday.

Box Score

Highlights & Condensed Game