Skip to main content
NC State

Saniya Rivers discusses career best performance vs. No. 2 UConn

On3 imageby: Ethan McDowell11/13/23ethanmmcdowell
Saniya Rivers
NC State guard Saniya Rivers.

Saniya Rivers led all scorers, rebounders and shot blockers Sunday afternoon during NC State’s 92-81 win over No. 2 UConn. The junior Wolfpack guard commanded the floor on both ends of the court, dictating tempo throughout the double-digit upset win. 

Connecticut superstar guard Paige Bueckers scored 27, but Rivers surpassed that mark, out-dueling one of the nation’s top backcourts. She set a career high in scoring against the Huskies with 33 points, showing up once again on a huge stage. 

This was the Wolfpack’s first 30-point game since 2019. 

Prior to this offensive explosion, which included an array of mid range jumpers, layups and 10 free throws, Rivers recorded a previous career best 22 points against Iowa. Her two highest scoring totals with NC State both came against top-10 teams. 

“I was honestly just ready to have another game like Iowa,” Rivers said. “I felt like that was my breakout game last year. I wanted to come in swinging tonight. It wasn’t about scoring, just getting my teammates involved, doing whatever I had to do to just help my team and contribute towards the win.”

The Wolfpack’s victory over the top-five Huskies, NC State’s first win against the program since 1998, started in the summer. Rivers is one of five returning players on this team, and they all put in a ton of effort into building connections on and off the court during the offseason. 

NC State is holding itself accountable this season, she said, and that camaraderie already showed up with its second win of the year. 

“In the summer, we just worked on team chemistry early because, last year, we were good off the court, but we didn’t translate it as well onto the court,” Rivers said. “This year, we made that a prime focus.”

She recorded 8 of NC State’s 20 third quarter points, scoring at the line, beyond the arc and at the rim. During that critical period, when the Wolfpack held the Huskies to 14 points, she also grabbed 5 rebounds, including 2 offensive boards. 

With every shot Rivers and the rest of the Pack hit, Reynolds Coliseum’s crowd grew increasingly raucous. 

“The fans were amazing tonight,” Rivers said. 

Rivers attempted just 5 shots in her Nov. 7 season debut, scoring 11 points against Charlotte. She knew, running point against one of the top teams in the nation, that she needed to play her A-game. 

In addition to her scoring stats, Rivers recorded 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals. 

“I just knew I had to show up today for my teammates,” Rivers said. 

After the game, she celebrated with her family in the crowd— a moment that meant a lot to the guard from Wilmington, N.C..

“My family sacrificed so much for me, so, just to be able to share that moment with them, them being there live with me in the present moment, just was everything to me,” Rivers said. 

Rivers is the former No. 2 recruit in the country. She spent her first season at South Carolina before transferring and developing into a key playmaker for the Pack as a sophomore. Two games into her junior year, the upperclassmen point guard is off to an elite start. 

“I said I want to bring the high school [Saniya] back this year, and I feel like I’m back,” Rivers said. “This game just gave me a lot of confidence. My teammates, the fans, my family all have all the confidence in the world for me, so I’m just hoping that translates to the rest of the season.”

You may also like