No. 16 NC State women’s basketball folded in the clutch against unranked Rhode Island, marking another close loss, 68-63.
No. 16 NC State’s (3-3) four-game homestand came to an end as the Wolfpack fell 68-63 against Rhode Island. NC State had never lost to URI (6-1), and came into Reynolds Coliseum with momentum from its blowout win over Coastal Carolina.
However, things didn’t go as planned for the Wolfpack, as the red-and-white led for only 11 minutes, with its biggest lead coming early in the first quarter.
“We’re obviously going through a tough stretch right here,” said head coach Wes Moore. “[We] just [have to] be a little more bought in the details, paying attention. Again scout how we’re defending certain things, how we’re running certain things. … We’re not playing well right now and again that’s my fault, we gotta clean it up, figure it out.”
Allowing a 7-0 Rams run in the final 1:56, the Pack could not get a bucket late — similar to its performance in the loss to Southern California, where it didn’t score in the final four minutes.
NC State was only down by three points with less than a minute to play thanks to collective efforts on both sides of the ball. With 37 seconds left, junior guard Zoe Brooks tried to beat her opponent off the dribble and bring the Wolfpack within one, but was stripped of the ball for Rhode Island’s 11th steal of the day.
Back on the defensive end, the red-and-white managed to get a clean stop thanks to junior forward Khamil Pierre’s on-ball pressure. Timeout NC State.
Down by three with only 16 seconds left, the Wolfpack had one more chance at tying the game. NC State faced a challenge, and someone had to step up.
The ball was inbounded to sophomore guard Devyn Quigley, who fumbled it and recorded the Wolfpack’s 16th turnover of the game and the sixth in the fourth quarter alone.
The red-and-white played the foul game to try to stay alive, but the Rams shut down its hopes at the free throw line.
“It seems like every time we make a little run, play well for a stretch, we kind of go off grid and you know that’s why you have 11 assists and 16 turnovers, it’s not pretty right now.” said Moore.
The Wolfpack is headed to Mexico with a loss on its mind and will have to turn tables around to be successful in the Cancun Challenge.
“I’m going to be locked in on our trip, I don’t take losses lightly, of course we’re in Cancun so we’re gonna have fun but we’re definitely going to be locked in for the two games we have down there.” said sophomore guard Zamarey Jones, who led the team in scoring with 17.
The Pack is set to play Green Bay on Thursday, Nov. 27 and Southern Miss on Friday, Nov. 28, both at 4 p.m. on FloHoops.
