RALEIGH, N.C. — In an impressive display of skill and teamwork, Aziaha James led the charge with 25 points, while Saniya Rivers contributed 17 points on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting, helping No. 20 North Carolina State secure a commanding 85-57 victory over Virginia Tech on Sunday night. This win marked the Wolfpack’s fifth straight triumph and their 12th in the last 13 games, propelling their record to 16-4 overall and 8-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
N.C. State’s dominance in the all-time series against Virginia Tech improved to 27-6, as they snapped a four-game slide against the Hokies. The game commenced with a quick layup by Madison Hayes just 12 seconds in, setting the tone for the rest of the competition, as N.C. State maintained the lead throughout. A three-pointer from James firmly established a double-digit advantage, igniting an 11-0 run that culminated in a layup by Rivers, establishing a 26-8 lead. The Wolfpack effectively outperformed the Hokies in the first quarter, achieving their highest-scoring quarter of the game with 29 points and entering the second quarter with a 17-point advantage.
N.C. State’s shooting was notably efficient, hitting 19 of their 30 attempts from the field for a 63% success rate. Conversely, they restricted Virginia Tech to just 38% shooting (12 of 32) and dominated in fast-break scoring, outpacing the Hokies 16-0 in that category before halftime. The halftime score showed N.C. State in control with a 44-29 lead.
For Virginia Tech, Carleigh Wenzel emerged as a significant contributor, netting 18 points, while Carys Baker added to the effort with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Rose Micheaux, who is typically a strong performer averaging 12.8 points and leading the team in rebounds with 8.7, faced challenges with foul trouble during this matchup, ultimately scoring only four points and tying her season low with four rebounds.
Looking ahead, Virginia Tech is set to host No. 3 Notre Dame on Thursday, while N.C. State will travel for a match against Wake Forest on the same day.
