Wolfpack Women Rally Past Georgia Tech in ACC Quarterfinals

NC State advanced to the semifinals of the ACC women's basketball tournament by erasing an early 14-point deficit in a 57-48 victory in Greensboro

Jim Dedmon/USAToday sports

GREENSBORO -- The second-seeded NC State women's basketball team climbed out of an early double-digit hole to beat Georgia Tech 57-48 at Greensboro Coliseum in the ACC women’s basketball tournament quarterfinals Friday.

With the win, the Wolfpack advanced to the tournament semifinals for the third straight year. Coach Wes Moore’s team will now take on fifth-seeded Boston College, which upset No. 2 Duke 84-77 by scoring the final 14 points of the game. Tipoff is at 2:30 p.m.

State (26-4) trailed by 14 points at 21-7 at the 8:31 mark of the second quarter. But the Wolfpack shook off its rough shooting start by outscoring the Yellow Jackets 16-2 over the final seven minutes of the half to knot the score at 23 by the break.

The Wolfpack held Tech (20-11) scoreless for the final five minutes of the half as the Yellow Jackets went 0 for 6 from the field during that span.

State held the Yellow Jackets without a basket for 7:49 of game action that spanned the second and third quarters.

The Wolfpack appeared to take control of the game by building a 33-25 lead midway through the third quarter before Tech rallied to tie the score at 42 with 5:49 left in the game. But a switch to a zone defense helped change the momentum again as State held the Yellow Jackets scoreless for three minutes to finally pull away.

Senior Aislinn Konig and sophomore Elissa Cunane tied for the team and game-high in scoring with 16 points each. They were the only members of the Wolfack to score in double figures, but a total of eight players contributed points

Kayla Jones contributed on the defensive side of the ball with 10 rebounds and Kai Crutchfield led the team with four assists.

After shooting just 3 of 16 (.188) from the floor in the first quarter, State went on to shoot 40 percent or better in each of the remaining three periods. That included an impressive 7-of-13 (.538) performance in a third quarter that helped the Wolfpack regain a lead it would not relinquish.

The come-from-behind victory tied as NC State's biggest comeback of the season. The Wolfpack also overcame a 14-point first-half deficit in its Jan. 2 win against Virginia Tech.

Top-seeded Louisville will take on No. 4 Florida State in the other semifinal, with the winners of the two games meeting for the tournament championship Sunday at noon.