NC State women hand Stanford first home loss after big third quarter, bench contributions

No. 21 N.C. State upset Stanford in the 2024 Sweet 16, one of its marquee wins en route to the NCAA Women’s Final Four. The stakes weren’t quite as high Sunday, but the Wolfpack had an opportunity to hand its new conference opponent its first home loss and pick up a Quad 1 win.

It was successful in that endeavor.

Days after a disappointing loss to No. 24 Cal-Berkeley, in a game N.C. State felt like it probably should’ve won, the team responded in commanding fashion. The Pack defeated the Cardinal, 81-67, on the road in California.

Stanford (9-7, 1-4 ACC) has struggled this season on the road, going 0 for 6, but had made Maples Pavilion a fortress. It had been 9-0 at home until Sunday.

“We definitely didn’t overlook them, especially after that coming off that Cal loss,” senior Saniya Rivers said. “We knew that we just wanted to split going back to North Carolina, and that’s what came here and did.”

Credit N.C. State’s (12-4, 4-1 ACC) bench for its strong effort in the first half, setting up the big win over its newly minted ACC opponent. It led by as many as 27 points with 8:25 left in the game, before a 14-2 Stanford run cut into the Pack’s advantage.

Guards Aziaha James and Zoe Brooks went to the bench early after picking up two fouls before the conclusion of the first quarter. Maddie Cox, Laci Steele and Mallory Collier all entered the game and made positive contributions.

Steele entered the game in the second, shooting 2 for 3 from the perimeter and pulling down a trio of rebounds. Collier, meanwhile, started 3-3 in the paint. Her third basket put N.C. State up 23-22 for its first lead of the game. Finally, Cox disrupted the Cardinal’s defense, though most of her contributions did not show up on the stat sheet.

The bench scored 12 of its 14 points in the first half.

James and Brooks returned in the second half and led the team to a 6-of-6 start in the third quarter, with Brooks accounting for three made baskets.

Head coach Wes Moore said the bench “gave us a lift” before the duo carried the Pack in the third.

N.C. State’s hot shooting didn’t end with the first six buckets. It shot 13 of 22 (65%) from the field, a season high, and 4 of 8 (50%) from the perimeter. The 34-point third quarter is the highest-scoring period this season.

The Wolfpack finished with five players in double figures, led by Rivers. The guard contributed a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double. She made a pair of 3s. James had zero first-half points but added 15.

Madison Hayes remains one of the team’s underrated players. She scored 11, making three buckets from outside the arc, pulled down five boards and dished out a trio of assists. Rivers said opponents have to pick their poison when it comes to defending the guards, because they can all shoot from various spots on the floor.

“(Rivers) is really playing on a high level right now,” Moore said. “To be honest, it’s good to have a whole starting five in double figures. I think we’re come along there. Mallory probably would have gotten double figures if I hadn’t got upset with the and-1 we gave up there late, but it’s a big win.”

N.C. State has now won eight of its last nine games after struggling earlier in the season. Rivers said during a TV interview that the team is finally playing together, which was a strength in the Final Four team’s run.

“I thought people thought they had to do it themselves,” she said.

The offensive firepower will deservedly get plenty of attention. This is the fifth time N.C. State has scored 70 or more points against a Power Four opponent this season and the third time it has eclipsed 80. The defense, however, continues to be a mainstay of the program.

Stanford entered the game averaging nearly 78 points per game and shooting No. 3 in the nation for 3-point shooting percentage (39.2%). The Pack held the Cardinal 10 points below its scoring average and allowed seven 3s at a 29.2% efficiency.

Additionally, Stanford only averaged 13.5 turnovers per game. N.C. State forced 18 miscues and capitalized, scoring 23 points off turnovers.

“To come in here and get a win here is big,” Moore said. “This is a tough road trip. The people who don’t have to come out here this year, they’re probably all thankful, because this is tough. And I’m not talking about distance. I’m talking about the two teams that are playing.”