GREENSBORO, N.C., — Through three quarters, No. 1 seed NC State women’s basketball senior guard Aziaha James and sophomore guard Zoe Brooks combined for just 16 points on 7-25 shooting. It just seemed like it wasn’t their day, and it would cost the Wolfpack against No. 9 seed Georgia Tech in the quarterfinal of the ACC Tournament.
But then the fourth quarter arrived. Brooks and James didn’t let the first three quarters shake their confidence. Instead, the All-ACC First-Team guards combined for 14 of the Wolfpack’s 20 fourth-quarter points, pushing the Pack to a 73-72 win at Greensboro Coliseum Friday afternoon.
It was Brooks who kept the team afloat in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, scoring eight of NC State’s first nine points and assisting another bucket. Before the final 10 minutes, Brooks had just six points and made two of her first 11 shots, but she didn’t let that deter her. Brooks swished midrange jumpers with confidence and made determined drives to the rim.
“My shots just started falling at the end,” Brooks said. “I really wanted to win, and I just stayed confident and kept shooting.”
Then there was James, who had made just one of her seven shot attempts in the third quarter but still had the confidence to take NC State’s biggest shots. Down 70-69, James drove down the court and swished a midrange jumper to go up 71-70 with 41 seconds left. The next possession after the Yellow Jackets retook the lead, James drew a foul and knocked down what ended up being the game-winning free throws for a 73-72 lead with seven seconds left.
“We don’t give up,” James said. “We both got in the huddle and talked. We couldn’t lose this game. We had to fight for every possession. Every possession counted. Just keeping our heads up high and keep going every play because every play counts.”
When James and Brooks struggled to score, it was freshman guard Zamareya Jones who stepped up when the Wolfpack needed her most, scoring 13 points off the bench in the first postseason game of her collegiate career. But no shot was more important than her only make in the second half. Tied at 66 with just two minutes remaining, James broke out on a fast-break, finding a wide-open Jones on the wing. Jones stepped up and confidently drained the shot, giving NC State its largest lead of the fourth quarter.
“She’s used to big moments like that from her high school days,” said head coach Wes Moore. “She’s a very confident player and that was a big shot. She stepped up at a time we really needed some scoring.”
Jones wasn’t the only freshman that Moore relied on. Freshman forward Tilda Trygger became a staple of the Wolfpack’s offense. Time and time again, a well-executed pick-and-roll allowed Trygger to take advantage of her size and dominate in the paint. Playing a career-high 38 minutes in regulation, Trygger finished with 12 points and six rebounds. The once-timid Swede has developed into an integral part of Moore’s offense in just her first season.
“We trust everybody that steps on the court,” James said. “As long as you bring energy, as long as you bring the heat and aggression, we’re trusting you. But you gotta trust yourself first. When we see you trusting yourself, we’ll trust you as well.”
In their only regular-season matchup, NC State killed Georgia Tech from the 3-point line, but the Yellow Jackets stifled the Pack’s long-range attempts as the red-and-white made just four of its 18 3-pointers.
However, senior guard Saniya Rivers — who has shot just 25% from beyond the arc this season — knocked down two of her own to keep the Wolfpack afloat. Additionally, Rivers was the primary defender on the Yellow Jackets’ final possession, leaving them unable to put up a final shot. Rivers continues to be a do-it-all player in her final postseason appearance despite being bedridden most of the week.
“Saniya had the flu all week,” Moore said. “I didn’t know until this morning if she was going to play. She had been really sick. For her to come out there and get it up the way she did, it was great.”
Up next, the Wolfpack will face No. 5 seed UNC-Chapel Hill in the semifinals, who handed NC State one of its two conference losses. The Tar Heels held the Wolfpack to its lowest point total in conference play in their lone matchup.
“I think it’s the best defensive team they’ve had over there that I can remember,” Moore said. “It’s going to be a big challenge. We’re going to have to hopefully clean things up and play our best basketball to be successful.”
Tip-off between the Wolfpack and Tar Heels is set for Saturday at noon.
