Pack Trio Earns First-Team All-ACC Honors, Trygger An All-Freshman Team Pick
NC State’s Aziaha James, Saniya Rivers, and Zoe Brooks were each named to the All-ACC First Team, and forward Tilda Trygger was recognized to the ACC All-Freshman Team. Rivers was also chosen on the ACC All-Defensive Team.
Aziaha James is now a two-time All-ACC First Team selection. She is averaging a team-leading 18.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game this season. Her scoring average is sixth in the league and her 13 20+ point games this season is the fourth most in the ACC. She has shooting splits of 45.9 percent from the field, 34.4 percent from beyond the arc and 70.3 percent from the free throw line. Her 65 3-pointers on the season is No. 15 in school history. In league play, she is averaging 18.3 points and 2.9 assists per game. The senior tallied a career-high 36 points against No. 10/10 Duke and later that week was named ACC Player of the Week and Naismith and USBWA National Player of the Week. James surpassed 1,000 career points this season and sits with 1,483 points, which is 20th in school history, as well as 173 3-pointers, No. 7 in program history.
Saniya Rivers earned All-ACC First Team honors and was tabbed to the ACC All-Defensive Team for the second consecutive season as well. A weapon on offense and a lockdown defender, Rivers has averaged 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. She has 19 double-digit scoring games, seven double-digit rebounding games and seven double-doubles. She is coming off three near triple-double performances, highlighted by four points, 13 rebounds and a career-high 11 assists at SMU to help the Pack secure the ACC Regular Season Co-Championship. She surpassed 1,000 career points this season and is now No. 38 on the all-time scoring list, as well as sitting at No. 14 in career steals (180) and No. 11 in career blocks (102) at NC State.
Zoe Brooks is a first-time All-ACC First Team honoree and won ACC Most Improved Player. She averaged 14.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game this season, as well as 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists in league play. The sophomore stepped up in a big way as the team's point guard, finishing the regular season with 24 double-digit scoring games, two double-doubles and eight 5+ assist games. Her highlight performance of the year came against No. 1/1 Notre Dame, as Brooks' career-high 33 points with 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks was huge in the Pack defeating the Irish. From freshman to sophomore year, Brooks' scoring increased by 5.2 points and her shooting percentages went up from 41.5 percent her first year to 46.0 this season. As the team's starting point guard. Brooks has averaged 31.4 minutes per game this season compared to last year's 26.4.
Tilda Trygger has stepped up in a huge way for the Pack as a rookie, rightfully being named to the ACC All-Freshman Team. The freshman has started in the Pack's past 17 games, averaging 6.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game. In ACC play, she has averaged 8.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Trygger has seven double-digit scoring games, five double-digit rebounding contests and three double-doubles. She logged a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double against No. 1/1 Notre Dame, while playing 43 minutes in that double-overtime victory. Her 20 blocks is tied for the 11th most in the freshman record book. As a natural four-player, Trygger has been playing at center most of the season and has excelled down low in a tough league as the ACC.