No. 6 NC State women’s basketball smothered Notre Dame, holding the top-scoring offense in the ACC to its lowest total of the season in a 59-43 victory. The win extended the Pack’s road win streak to four straight games.
The Wolfpack (22-3, 10-3 ACC) bullied the No. 16 Fighting Irish (18-6, 8-5 ACC) with an incredible team effort. Senior guard Madison Hayes led all scorers with 16 points, shooting an efficient 6-10 from the field while graduate center River Baldwin and junior guard Saniya Rivers each had a 10-rebound double-double, scoring 14 and 10 points, respectively.
The Wolfpack caught fire early, opening up with a 19-4 lead before closing the first quarter at 19-7. The strong start can be attributed to Baldwin, who scored eight of her 14 points in the first. The red-and-white’s defense also showed out in every aspect, even baiting Notre Dame into four offensive fouls.
In the second quarter, NC State lost some of its offensive fire, missing easy shots and committing costly turnovers. However, the defense remained strong as the offense faltered. Freshman forward Maddie Cox recorded two blocks, and the team’s stout defense was enough to maintain the lead, resulting in a 30-18 score heading into the locker room.
Coming into the game, the Wolfpack knew that the key to victory started with containing Notre Dame superstar guard Hannah Hidalgo, who entered the game averaging 25.1 points per game. Not only did the Pack live up to the task, it excelled, holding Hidalgo scoreless on all nine of her shot attempts in the first half. However, this defensive adjustment allowed Notre Dame forward Maddy Westbeld to score 12 points in the first 20 minutes. She also led all players with eight rebounds in the half.
The Pack regained its spark in the third quarter, scoring 15 points to the Fighting Irish’s 12. But Hidalgo finally came to life, scoring eight points and forcing three turnovers on defense. However, it did little to stop NC State’s onslaught that was punctuated by an 8-0 run midway through the quarter. The team rallied behind Rivers, who laced two 3-pointers despite entering the game as a 22% shooter from beyond the arc. She also had an emphatic, fast-break-stopping block that resulted in a full-court assist to junior guard Aziaha James.
The red-and-white handled business in the fourth quarter, maintaining its stark defense and chewing clock in the fourth quarter. Hidalgo also fouled out with just over three minutes left in the fourth quarter, effectively ending any hopes of a comeback. The routine quarter had no defining plays, with both teams missing shots and getting defensive stops.
The win reaffirmed the Wolfpack’s standing in the ACC. Despite last week’s loss against Virginia Tech, the team established that it is one of the most dominant teams in the country and is more than qualified than ever to earn a number-one seed in the NCAA tournament.
Next, NC State returns to Raleigh where it is set to take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Tip-off is scheduled for noon on Sunday, Feb. 18 at Reynolds Coliseum.
