No. 20 NC State women’s basketball took on the No. 7 LSU Tigers in the final game of the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship Tournament and couldn’t produce its usual late-game surge to secure a win. The Pack (4-3) was LSU’s (8-0) first-ranked matchup this season and didn’t put up a fight against the red-hot Tigers, losing 82-65.
What plagued the Pack the most throughout the game was its lack of rebounds and poor shooting in the paint. Heading into halftime, NC State only had six rebounds compared to LSU’s 24. With only five defensive rebounds through 20 minutes of opening play, it was clear the Wolfpack wasn’t playing its toughest. Going into the half, the Tigers shot 56.7% from the field, pushed the ball to the basket and shut the Pack down from the field.
The Tigers came hard and fast from the first tipoff, scoring 24 points in the opening quarter to take a quick lead over the Pack. Tiger guard Flau’Jae Johnson opened the game with six points and two rebounds, eventually finishing the matchup with 16 points, but it was LSU’s guard Mikaylah Williams who the Pack couldn’t stop. With an efficient 24-point game, Williams was the Tiger’s leading scorer, getting buckets both in the paint and beyond the arc.
Senior guard Saniya Rivers stepped up for the Wolfpack with a season-high 21 points, especially after only scoring five points in the team’s game against Southern University a few days earlier. Senior guard Aziaha James finished the match with 13 points, her 16 consecutive 10+ point game.
LSU held NC State to only 10 points in the second quarter, holding everyone on the NC State roster besides James and Rivers scoreless. The third quarter saw a little scoring bump from the Wolfpack, having its only 20-point quarter of the matchup, but the Tigers were still too much for the red-and-white to handle. Williams scored 10 points in the frame alone, more than six Pack players throughout the game.
On full display against the Tigers, the Pack’s lack of veteran depth proved costly. Head coach Wes Moore relies on James, Rivers, and graduate guard Madison Hayes day in and day out, putting a lot of pressure on the veteran trio. There is a clear difference through the bench on who is elevating the team in every game, and that line is drawn between the upper and lower classmen, with a few exceptions.
Sophomore guard Zoe Brooks played well in the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Tournament and is cementing her spot in this roster, and every so often freshman guard Zamareya Jones will hit a hot streak. But against top-ranked teams like LSU, the Wolfpack veterans need to step up and show their experience on the court.
The fourth and final frame was a struggle for both teams at the start, with LSU scoring the first points over a minute and a half into the quarter. Once again the Wolfpack shot under 30% and couldn’t get any momentum in the paint or at the 3-point line. With these troubles plaguing the team, the red-and-white quickly fell behind and suffered an 82-65 loss.
NC State heads back to Raleigh after the tournament to take on Ole Miss in the ACC/SEC Challenge. The matchup against the Rebels is set for Thursday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.
