NOTEBOOK: Wolfpack Women Stumble To No. 1 South Carolina
The Wolfpack drops its season opener in Reynolds Coliseum, and the Gamecocks avenge last season’s home loss to NC State. Here are some notes on the loss.
SCORING OPTIONS
NC State simply could not get contributions from enough players Tuesday afternoon. Only three Wolfpack players (Raina Perez, Jakia Brown-Turner, and Kayla Jones) scored in the first half, and Jones was limited to two points as NCSU went into intermission with only 19 points through the first two quarters.
Elissa Cunane struggled, and the bench could not muster enough throughout (more on that later).
CENTER OF ATTENTION
Elissa Cunane versus Aliyah Boston was a matchup to watch going into the contest. They neutralized each other with off games, but South Carolina had more firepower to draw from otherwise.
Cunane finished with eight points (none in the first half) and three rebounds, while Boston also scored eight and pulled down six boards in six fewer minutes.
NC State will have a much harder time winning when Cunane struggles, as her scoring and work inside tends to open up the game for her teammates. When her play is stifled, the Pack suffers.
South Carolina blocked nine shots in the contest. NC State did not block a shot, so the Gamecocks won the interior battle in other ways.
A GAME RESPONSE
NC State made pushes throughout the third quarter, but South Carolina always responded with a basket, especially when the Wolfpack narrowed its deficit to one point. NCSU could not get the stop that gave them a chance to take the lead and put more game pressure on the Gamecocks.
South Carolina saw its lead cut to one at least three times in the second half and promptly responded each time.
BENCH POINTS
Depth is supposed to be a strength for NC State this season, and as the season progresses, it likely will be.
Against South Carolina, it was not.
The Gamecocks bench outscored NC State’s reserves, 18-7, for the game. ACC Sixth Man of the Year winner Jada Boyd was out, and her presence would have certainly helped, but the Wolfpack did not benefit from added depth in this encounter.
South Carolina, which brought back its top 11 players from last season and added the nation’s top recruiting class, only had two players with more than 30 minutes of court time.
Meanwhile, only three reserves saw the court for NC State. Kayla Jones played 19 minutes and scored all seven of the Pack’s bench points. Camille Hobby (eight minutes) and Madison Hayes (seven minutes) played but did not score.
THE OPTICS
Each participant, pundit, or fan will have a personal perspective, but for me, I never once got the vibe that NC State would win the game. When the Wolfpack trimmed its deficit to one, I felt South Carolina would find a way to answer, and they always did.
There did not seem to be the emotion or excitement that a top-5 matchup would often have. It was more of a typical non-conference game where teams feel each other out and take a long-term approach instead of having a deep hunger to win, such as in a tournament game (which is fair enough to an extent, since it is November). The atmosphere seemed fine, and those who showed up made their presence felt, but it was a game that lacked a particular ‘frantic’ nature that most games involving two national title contenders would have.
Others may disagree with that.
STAT OF THE GAME
Diamond Johnson struggled in her Wolfpack debut. She finished 2-for-12 from the floor (0-of-6 from three-point range) and tallied four points overall, along with four rebounds and one assist in 28 minutes.
QUOTE OF THE GAME
“We’re trying to break through. We’re trying to get into that elite level, and to do that you’ve got to play the top teams. Quite honestly, you’ve got to get on to ESPN and hopefully recruits see you enough that maybe you can get some of the top players. Obviously we went down there and won a year ago, so we felt like we could get it done, especially on the home court. Like I said, tip your hat to them, they came in here and took it to us. We cut it to one a couple of times, I remember one time we took kind of a wild shot, we may have done that more than once. I understand their defense makes you do that, but we’ve got to be a little more under control, a little more patient. At the same time, we’ve got to keep testing and attacking them and put them on their heels. It was a combination of things. I’m disappointed we didn’t handle their defensive pressure a little better.” – NC State Head Coach Wes Moore
NEXT UP FOR THE PACK
NC State (0-1) will look for its first win of the season when the Wolfpack returns to action against another South Carolina school as Wofford visits Raleigh on Friday at 7 p.m. inside Reynolds Coliseum.