Time heals all wounds. Just one month after a 5-4 start, NC State women’s basketball finds itself on a six-game winning streak following a 71-60 win over California.

Though the Golden Bears (9-7, 0-3 ACC) sit towards the bottom of the conference, they gave the Wolfpack (11-4, 4-0 ACC) a run for its money in the first half, pushing for a 37-36 halftime score. But NC State emerged from the locker room with renewed energy and held California to single digits in the third quarter. During its six-game win streak, NC State has held each opponent to at least one single-digit quarter, a key factor amongst its victories.

As it has done all season, the Wolfpack relied on its top dogs — junior forward Khamil Pierre and junior guard Zoe Brooks — to dominate on the offensive end. Pierre led all scorers with 21 points and seven rebounds, while Brooks contributed 19 points and three assists.

But while the offense spoke for itself, the defense gave the Pack the competitive edge it needed. NC State turned the ball over just six times, but forced California into 20
turnovers, giving the Wolfpack more possessions to
score. Led by Brooks and junior guard Qadence Samuels’ seven combined steals, NC State commanded the turnover margin and capitalized on many of them.

There are still major areas for improvement, most notably its long-range shooting. The Wolfpack shot just 4-of-16 from beyond the arc, well below the college average.

Additionally, the Pack was dominated on the glass, outrebounded 42-28. With sophomore forward Tilda Trygger out due to illness and sophomore center Lorena Awou no longer with the team, NC State lost its size advantage and couldn’t maintain the rebounding margin.

Next up, the Wolfpack hits the road for a matchup at Clemson on Thursday, Jan. 8. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. and will be streamed on ACC Extra.