Fourth-Quarter Collapse Costs NC State in Loss to USC
In this story:
CHARLOTTE — In its second top-25 showdown of the week, No. 9 NC State couldn't hang on to a fourth-quarter lead and fell 69-68 to the No. 18 USC Trojans at the Ally Tipoff.
Wes Moore's team led by as much as 11 in the final period, but went scoreless in the last four minutes of the game. USC outscored the Wolfpack 19-10 in the fourth quarter, as freshman Jazzy Davidson scored 18 of her 21 points in the second half to complete the comeback for the Trojans.
Jazzy lay right out of the break 🤌🤌 pic.twitter.com/fHQsTkmoMZ
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) November 9, 2025
Wolfpack guard Zoe Brooks controlled the game until the final quarter. She led the Wolfpack with a season-high 24 points and added 11 rebounds and six assists. Turnovers undid all of the quality play for Brooks, however.
Khamil Pierre recorded a double-double with 10 points and 18 rebounds, but was very inefficient from the field. She made just four of her 16 shots in the loss.
Inefficient Starts
Both the Trojans and the Wolfpack were very slow offensively in the first half. The teams combined for a 15-for-42 start from the field and made just four threes. Both missed a plethora of layups throughout the second quarter.
Pierre and Brooks led the way for NC State with eight and 10 points in the half, but did so somewhat inefficiently. Pierre shot four-for-11, but came just two points away from a first-half double-double, as she hauled in 11 rebounds.
Londynn Jones led the Trojans throughout the first half and went to the locker room with a game-high 14 points. Both offenses woke up in the second half, however.
Brooks vs. Davidson
USC's freshman phenom Jazzy Davidson, considered by many to be the No. 2 recruit in the country, exploded in the third quarter. After she made just one of her first 10 shots, she scored the first 13 points of the second half for the Trojans.
As the flow of the game improved throughout the quarter, Brooks was able to get hot as well. The crafty guard attacked the basket with great success. Her nine-point quarter helped NC State take a 58-50 lead.
ZOE BROOKS. TOUGH. 😤😤😤 pic.twitter.com/jZ9pRvedre
— NC State WBB 🐺🏀 (@PackWomensBball) November 9, 2025
Brooks' onslaught continued into the fourth quarter. She opened up the final period with an immediate and-one layup, but Davidson wasn't done either. The freshman drilled a three early in the fourth to help the Trojans hang around and ultimately complete the surprising comeback.
Davidson snuck by the Wolfpack defense with under 10 seconds in the game for a layup that ultimately won the game for the Trojans. Brooks had a chance to take the lead back, but drove into traffic and couldn't make a play, ultimately turning it over.
Fourth Quarter Collapse
Brooks drilled a jumper with just over four minutes left in the game to give the Wolfpack a seven-point advantage. From that point, NC State scored zero points, while USC scored eight unanswered points for the win. Moore's squad struggled with turnovers down the stretch, coughing the ball up five times down the stretch.
The Wolfpack finished the quarter with eight turnovers, six of which came from Brooks herself. With 10 seconds left, Zam Jones had an opportunity to give her team a three-point lead with a pair of foul shots. She missed both and the Trojans obviously took advantage.
Glass Advantage
Between Brooks, Pierre and Tilda Trygger, the Wolfpack had a distinct advantage in the rebounding department. Pierre racked up 10 offensive rebounds, keeping numerous possessions alive for the Wolfpack. She finished with 18 total boards and Trygger had 11. While it didn't help NC State win the game ultimately, it was a major reason Moore's team was able to get out to a 11-point lead early in the fourth quarter.
While NC State did have a distinct size advantage with Trygger and Pierre, Brooks' rebounding from the guard spot made the forwards' jobs much easier. Because of her size, the veteran guard was able to push aside the Trojan guards often for defensive rebounds and get out in transition. The team outrebounded USC 54-40, but only scored eight second-chance points.
Looking Forward
NC State will only have a couple of days off before its home opener against Maine. The Wolfpack still has a lot to work on after two games, but the loss to the ranked Trojans shouldn't harm the outlook on the season too much.
Tuesday's game is scheduled for 7 P.M. EST at Reynolds Coliseum back in Raleigh. It can be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Want more NC State basketball content throughout the year? Follow @WolfpackOnSI and @SennettTucker on X (Twitter) and never miss another breaking news story again.
Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
Follow SennettTucker