NC State women’s basketball falls at Clemson with fourth-quarter collapse

Daniel Susann, Assistant Sports Editor • Jan 9, 2026

Junior forward Khamil Pierre pushes through contact for a layup during the game against California in Reynolds Coliseum on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. Pierre scored 21 points. The Wolfpack defeated the Golden Bears 71-60.

Snapping a six-game win streak, NC State women’s basketball couldn’t keep it together late and scored just eight points in the final 10 minutes, leading to its first conference loss against Clemson.

Forging an 11-0 run to begin the final frame, the Tigers (12-5, 3-2 ACC) made the Pack (11-5, 4-1 ACC) pay on poor close-outs and rained down 3-pointers, closing the distance and taking the lead midway through the fourth quarter. By the time NC State got going on offense, there wasn’t enough time to forge a comeback and the Pack fell 75-65.

Star sophomore guard Zamareya Jones was out with an ankle injury, which she suffered late during the previous game versus California, and there was a noticeable gap in NC State’s offensive attack.

NC State’s dominant bigs in the front court led the charge without Jones, as sophomore forward Tilda Trygger and junior forward Khamil Pierre both posted double-doubles with 19 and 17 points respectively, and each recorded 11 rebounds.

Also in double figures, junior guard Zoe Brooks dropped 15 points and was a dominant factor throughout the game on offense for the Wolfpack. It came to a head at the end of the second quarter when Brooks hoisted a fadeaway floater over a double team at the buzzer.

Contested. Off-balance. At the horn.

Zoe Brooks beats the buzzer!@jerseymikes | video: @PackWomensBball pic.twitter.com/gEHhqcBvY2

— Naismith Awards (@NaismithTrophy) January 9, 2026

Outside of the Wolfpack’s top three scorers, the rest of the squad combined for 14 points, with junior guard Qadence Samuels and sophomore guard Devyn Quigley both scoring four, and freshman guard Ky’She Lunan scoring six.

More evidence of Jones’s absence versus Clemson was the poor 3-point shooting performance, as NC State shot a combined 4-for-19 from deep. With 29 threes made on 34% shooting, Jones has been the best shooter on the team, making more than twice as many 3-pointers as Samuels, who sits second on the list.

Looking to bounce back from the loss, NC State will face a struggling SMU squad on Sunday, Jan. 11, at 6 p.m. in Reynolds Coliseum. The Mustangs remain winless in conference play. Tune in on ACC Network.