Gameday Live Blog/Open Thread: ACC Women's Tournament Final

Live updates and analysis from the ACC women’s basketball tournament championship game between NC State and Florida State

It's Championship Sunday at an ACC tournament and for a change, NC State is participating with a chance to bring home a trophy.

That's something that hasn't happened in 28 years, when the Wolfpack's baseball team won the conference title in 1992.

Coach Wes Moore and his second-seeded women's basketball team has a chance to end that drought today when it takes on No. 4 Florida State in the ACC tournament final at Greensboro Coliseum.

Everything has broken just right for State so far here this week, including an upset of No. 1 seed Louisville in the semifinals. The Wolfpack also helped itself by building a big enough lead in its semifinal win against Boston College that Moore was able to rest stars Elissa Cunane and Kayla Jones for today's championship game.

Now all State has to do it take care of business.

It beat the Seminoles 68-51 during the regular season. But this is the one that counts. Make sure to stop by throughout the game this afternoon for live updates and analysis:

PREGAME

The Wolfpack is going with the usual starters: Aislinn Konig and Kai Crutchfield in the backcourt, Jakia Brown-Turner on the wing and the well-rested Jones and Cunane up front. ...

A lot of red in the stands here at Greensboro Coliseum. This might officially be a neutral site, but it feels a lot like a Wolfpack home game ..

FIRST QUARTER

State has gotten off to slow starts in both of its previous ACC tournament games thus far and it's showing some early nerves here today. Konig misses an open three and Cunane makes only one of two free throws. ...

But Turner-Brown hits a banker in the lane and scores at the rim on a nice pass from Cunane, so it looks as if it didn't take long for State to settle in ...

Yesterday it was freshman Jada Brown leading the way for the Wolfpack with 16 points off the bench. Today, it's classmate Brown-Turner that's off to the hot start. She has six of State's first seven points so far ...

First TV timeout: State 7, FSU 7

The Wolfpack has missed its first four three-point attempts ... Konig misses again from deep. She's now 0 for 3 ... 

But shooters keep shooting and the senior guard finally gets one to go down ... tied at 14 ...

A pair of late Seminoles treys puts State behind after one period for the third straight game.

End of 1: FSU 19, State 14

Boyd comes down hard chasing a long renound and comes up limping, but she shakes it off quickly to grab the next rebound ...

And Brown-Turner stays hot. She hits a trey to tie the score at 19. She's got nine points already ... And there's another. State up 22-21 and she's got 12 ...

Cunane with a beautiful back door pass to Boyd for a layup. If FSU is going to sag in on the 6-foot-5 sophomore, she's going to make it pay. Cunane is a smart player who won't force things ...

The Seminoles' River Baldwin is being very physical with Cunane on the low block, a tactic that has worked against her in the past. But Cunane is holding her own ... 

TV timeout: State 26, FSU 26

Kaila Ealey misses two free throws ...

The Seminoles already have five three-pointers and the Wolfpack is 3 of 12  Grace Hunter comes in to perhaps help the situation from beyond the arc ...

Cunane gets pushed out of bounds by Baldwin. State fans cheer when whistle blows. Then boo when it's ruled that Cunane walked, rather than a foul on Baldwin. ...

At the other end, Cunane gets a little revenge by blocking Baldwin's shot ... And then she drains a three to cut the deficit to one ... 

Twenty minutes in the books and State has work to do. ...

Halftime: FSU 30, State 29

THIRD QUARTER

Crutchfield starts the half with a right wing trey and the Wolfpack is back on top ...

State needs to get Konig going. She's made only one three-pointer and has five points  ...

Cunane isn't getting many looks inside with Baldwin playing so physical and the refs letting her do it, so she steps outside and hits her second three-pointer of the game ...

Konig finally gets one to go down. Good sign. If she heats up, State could be golden ... And now she hits again, this time from the left baseline off transition. Wolfpack is up 43-39 and FSU calls timeout with 3:22 left in the third ...

After making just 4 of 13 from beyond the arc in the first half, State is 4 of 7 here in the third quarter ... 

TV timeout: State 45, FSU 41

State has had a pretty solid third quarter, but can't shake FSU … this one looks like it's going to come down to the wire. 10 minutes to a title … 

End of 3: Wolfpack 47, Seminoles 45

FOURTH QUARTER

State's three-pointers in the third quarter has opened up the lane and now the Wolfpack is finally attacking. Boyd scores from in close and then Cunane is fouled taking it hard to the rim. Add a Konig three and suddenly the Wolfpack has opened up a six-point lead, its biggest of the day ...

The officials have been leting both teams play all day and now, all of a sudden with 6 1/2 minutes left, they're getting whistle happy. That's four fouls on Crutchfield ...

Boyd is having her way posting up FSU's Sammie Puisis. Recognizing this, Moore has moved Cunane up to the high post and clearing out for his freshman to take advantage of the mismatch ... 

Final TV timeout: State 58, FSU 56

Seminoles hit their 10th three of the game and regains the lead at 59-58. Cunane gets blocked down low and commits her third foul ...

State commits a shot clock violation ... On the possession, FSU's Kiah Gillespie got a two--point takedown on Cunane with no call. Then she hits her second straight three to put the Wolfpack in trouble ...

State down three with 2:44 left

Konig ties it with her fourth three and the crowd is going wild. Timeout Seminoles. It's a two-minute, 14-second game. Tied at 63

Now the refs have swallowed their whistles again. It's gotten extremely physical on both ends. ...

A lot of contact forces FSU's Nausia Woolfolk to miss. Cunane rebounds and is fouled. Woolfolk expresses her displeasure to the official ... Cunane makes one of two ... Wolfpack up by one ... 

A VERY quick whistle gives a held ball to State ... up one with 1:18 left ...

Now Jones is fouled driving to the rim. Two shots with 1:04 left. She makes one ... State 65, FSU 63 ... But Brown-Turner gets the offensive rebound and SHE gets fouled ... Freshman has poise ... makes both. State by four with 60 seconds left ...

Cunane called for her fourth foul ...

Gillespie misses the second and the ball goes out of bound to State. Review upcoming ..It stays Wolfpack ball ...

Timeout with 48.1 seconds left. Wolfpack up 67-64 ...

Konig has 18 for State. Cunane and Brown-Turner have 14 each ... Brown-Turner also has 10 rebounds. Cunane eight. Boyd has scored 10 for the Wolfpack ...

State takes a quick shot (not sure why), but the rebound goes off an FSU player. Another review upcoming ...

Again, the call is confirmed. State ball with 27 on the shot clock and 45.3 on the game clock ...

Cunane fouled with 43.4 left ... Misses the first. Makes the second. Two possession game.

Crutchfield fouls out ... Nicki Ekhomu to the line for two for the Seminoles with 39.2 seconds left ...

This is a GREAT championship games. Both teams are worthy of the title ...

Ekhomu makes both. Two-point State lead with 39.2 left ...

Cunane fouled with 21.5 seconds left. Again, make free throws. Win Game. Miss free throws, allow FSU to have a chance. Cunane makes only one. Seminoles have a chance. 69-66 with 21.5 seconds left.

It's going to come down to one final shot for FSU to force overtime or a title for the Wolfpack ...

Or does FSU go for a quick two and hope State misses from the line again? 

Seminoles go for the early three and miss. Cunane back to the line again. One here might do it ...

She makes the first. That's HUGE ... two possession game with 13.8 left. She makes the second two ...

And it's over.

THIS IS NOT A DRILL .... NC STATE IS CUTTING DOWN NETS AS AN ACC CHAMPION TODAY ...

Final: Wolfpack 71, FSU 66