NC State passed its first road test without too much trouble, leveraging another fast start to a 12-point victory over South Florida. Playing without Saniya Rivers again, the Wolfpack got River Baldwin established early—she scored the game’s first seven points—and controlled the paint at both ends to secure this victory.
Four Factors
| ... | NC State | USF |
|---|---|---|
| ... | NC State | USF |
| eFG% | 52.7 | 40.8 |
| TO% | 17.4 | 11.1 |
| OR% | 32.3 | 17.9 |
| FTR | 25.0 | 10.0 |
Pace and Efficiency
| Team | Pts | Poss | OFF_EFF | DEF_EFF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Pts | Poss | OFF_EFF | DEF_EFF |
| USF | 54 | 63 | 85.7 | 104.8 |
| NC State | 66 | 63 | 104.8 | 85.7 |
The decisive stretch came in the second quarter, when the Pack put together a 16-2 run after the Bulls tied the score at 22. NC State pushed ahead by double figures with three minutes and change left in the half, and would not lead by fewer than 10 the rest of the way.
Led by Baldwin’s 7-8 shooting, State hit 61% of its twos, while holding USF to just 40% shooting inside the arc. All five of NC State’s starters shot 50% or better on twos, and four players finished in double figures. Baldwin scored 16 with 11 boards, and Aziaha James added 16 points as well, to go with six boards and five assists.
The Pack shot just 3-15 from deep and 7-14 at the free throw line, but owning the paint and playing good defense were more than enough to keep the Bulls at arm’s length.
NC State will be back at it on Wednesday for a game at Old Dominion.