Instant observations: NC State races past Virginia Tech behind Azaiah James’ big night

NC State senior guard Aziaha James took the pass in the left corner as a defender draped her every move. But as she looked to create space, James faked a drive and used her lethal step back to leave Virginia Tech’s Matilda Ekh on the ground. 

That opened up enough room for James to knock down her first triple of the game with a wide-open look. That move, which she followed with an off-balance runner that James banked home in the first quarter, signaled the Virginia Beach, Va., native was on a different level against the Hokies. 

James, who was on pace to outscore Virginia Tech in the opening frame, propelled NC State past the Hokies 85-57 as she scored 25 points on Sunday evening inside Reynolds Coliseum. The Wolfpack’s elite-level scorer also added five rebounds and four assists to help NC State earn its fifth consecutive win and it snapped a four-game losing streak against Virginia Tech. 

While James was efficient on 10-of-18 shooting, senior guard Saniya Rivers added 17 points, and senior guard Madison Hayes and Zoe Brooks scored 12 points each.

Here are three observations from the Wolfpack’s fifth straight win. 

Lightning quick start

It seemed as if the court was angled towards the Wolfpack’s basket in the early going. Or at least that’s what it felt like as NC State began the game driving downhill with ease against Virginia Tech’s interior defense. 

The Pack hit seven of its first nine shots in the opening five minutes, which included five straight makes. All of its attempts were inside the arc as NC State appeared to make a conscious effort of getting to the rim — and it was easily able to do that. 

NC State was able to continue its success inside as the period went along, while it added a pair of 3-pointers from James, to open up a 16-2 run midway through the quarter. That allowed the Wolfpack to take a 19-point lead in the early going as it built breathing room against the Hokies. 

The Wolfpack held a 17-point lead by the end of the first quarter thanks to a 76.5% shooting mark from the floor. James, who powered NC State in the early going, seemingly made every shot she took as she had 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting. The Pack’s dynamic guard matched the Hokies’ point output in the first 10 minutes. 

NC State’s ability to drive the ball allowed the Wolfpack to score 18 points in the paint, while its defense stymied Virginia Tech’s interior presence as the Hokies scored just 2 points inside in the quarter. The Wolfpack set a new season-best with 29 points in the opening period of play. 

The Pack’s effective and efficient first quarter of action set the tone as NC State rolled past Virginia Tech the rest of the way. 

Elite 3-point defense

NC State made it a priority to run Virginia Tech off the 3-point line as much as it could. And it worked. 

The Hokies, which entered the game with the ACC’s third-best offense from beyond the arc (36.6%), were unable to create any rhythm against the Pack. NC State’s defense made Virginia Tech’s shooters uncomfortable throughout the game, which appeared to get inside the Hokies’ heads as the game progressed. 

Virginia Tech shot 3-for-16 (18.8%) from 3-point distance, including a 2-for-13 start through the first three quarters of action. NC State, meanwhile, was able to go 4-for-10 from beyond the arc as it didn’t force long-range shots on the perimeter. 

Rivers hits 1,000

Rivers, who has been one of the faces of NC State’s program during her three seasons in Raleigh, reached the 1,000-point milestone against Virginia Tech. The former South Carolina transfer eclipsed the mark on a free throw in the fourth quarter, which gave her the 11th point she needed to accomplish the feat. 

The Wilmington, N.C., native joined James as the two active 1,000-point scorers on NC State’s current roster. Hayes is the next in line for the feat as she sits just 31 points away following her steady performance against the Hokies.

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