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NC State women's basketball picks up first road win vs. USF

On3 imageby: Ethan McDowell12/17/23ethanmmcdowell
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NC State women's basketball coach Wes Moore (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)

River Baldwin did not miss a shot until the second half, Aziaha James scored at every level and No. 3 NC State women’s basketball defeated USF 66-54 Saturday night. In its first true road test of the season, the Wolfpack improved to 11-0. 

NC State kicked off its three-game road trip against the Bulls, a program the visitors defeated by 8 last season. Saniya Rivers missed this matchup due to injury, so freshman point guard Zoe Brooks started in her place.

Baldwin, who finished the game with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists, started the showdown on a personal 5-0 run, hitting a post hook and then converting an and-1 opportunity. USF hit 6 of its first 12 shots, starting the game hot from the field and keeping the contest within 2 points going into the first official timeout. 

The Pack recorded the final 4 points of the quarter and held the Bulls scoreless for 2:47 to claim a 22-16 advantage after 10 minutes, shooting 66.7 percent from the field. 

NC State missed its first 5 shots of the second quarter before Brooks nailed a mid-range jumpshot to put the visitors ahead 24-22. She scored 9 points and contributed 3 rebounds and 4 turnovers in the first half. 

Over the first 20 minutes of game time, Baldwin hit all 6 of her shots to lead the team with 13 points. She was one of 6 members of the Pack to grab at least 3 rebounds in the first 2 quarters, hauling in a team-best 5 boards. 

Thanks to a 10-0 run, NC State opened up a 14-point lead with 2:13 to go in the half before taking its 40-28 lead into the break. James drove to the bucket early and often Saturday night, scoring 11 of her 16 points in the first half and dishing out a team-best 5 assists. 

The junior guard hit her second triple of the night in the third quarter as the Wolfpack traded buckets with the Bulls. NC State hit 53.3 percent of its shots in the period, including a few field goals for senior guard Madison Hayes, who battled for 4 tough rebounds Saturday and finished the game with 12 points. 

USF cut the Wolfpack lead to 10 with just under 8 minutes left in the matchup. The visitors scored 4 points in the quarter’s first five minutes. NC State held off the Bulls’ late effort after its opponent hit 1 field goal in their final 7 attempts. 

For the fourth time in the past 11 seasons, the Pack’s Wes Moore-led squad is undefeated after 11 games. NC State remains on the road for its next game, a Dec. 20 showdown with Old Dominion at 6:30 p.m..

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