While many go to Cancun to relax, NC State women’s basketball (5-3) was “all gas no breaks” in its blowout win against Southern Mississippi (6-2). After a close game against Green Bay, the Wolfpack offense was practically perfect, setting a Cancun Challenge record with 110 points.
The Lady Eagles were clearly outmatched, as the Pack did what it wanted on offense, hammering the ball inside and capitalizing on strong transition offense. The Wolfpack had 25 assists on the evening, finding lanes inside and allowing for junior forward Khamil Pierre to shine for her second consecutive game in Cancun.
Pierre recorded her sixth double-double of the season and has gotten her team fired up, as the Pack is playing like a legitimate ranked team. Pierre finished the game with 18 points and 16 rebounds, on 57% shooting from the field. Her inside game was the story, as she led all scorers by getting 16 points from inside the paint.
Pierre wasn’t the only person on the Pack who came to play; six of her teammates got in double-figures in points, and the offense looked like a well-oiled machine. Sophomore forward Tilda Trygger couldn’t be contained as she dropped a season-high 16 points on 71% shooting from the field. The Swede was a board shy from a double-double, but her play was undoubtedly crucial to the blowout win.
Everybody ate on the starting five, as all starters had 10 or more points on excellent shooting from the field. Sophomore guard Zamareya Jones and junior guard Qadence Samuels were torching the nets from beyond the arc, forcing the Southern Miss defense to guard up tight on the perimeter. Junior guard Zoe Brooks was her usual self on both sides of the ball, scoring 14 points with five assists and four steals.
The Pack was out to run, as it outpaced the Lady Eagles’ defense and shot a lot of transition 3s. The Wolfpack shot 47% from 3-point territory, another factor that led to Southern Mississippi’s demise. If the transition three wasn’t there, a smart dish to a cutter or trailer was there for the easy bucket, enabling a record-breaking offensive day for the Pack.
The defense was equally as impressive as the offense for the red-and-white, as the women racked up 13 steals and two blocks.The Wolfpack capitalized on 22 points off turnovers, as active hands allowed a lot of transition points. Jones was right there with Brooks, as she had three steals of her own to put the cherry on top of her great performance.
The win is a definite confidence booster that the Wolfpack needed after a bumpy start to the season. The Pack is back in action as it travels to Norman, Oklahoma, for a ranked matchup against the No. 9 Sooners on Dec. 3. Tip-off is set for 7:15 p.m.
