Pierre and the Wolfpack Overcome Slow Start, Defeat Wake Forest
In this story:
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — After a bit of a slow start, NC State women’s basketball dug itself right out of a hole on the road against Wake Forest. The Wolfpack (13-5, 6-1 ACC) dominated the Demon Deacons (12-7, 2-5 ACC) in the second half, ultimately walking away with a 95-77 victory.
There were some concerns as Wake Forest led by as many as 15 points in the first half, but Wes Moore’s team made the right adjustments at halftime and blitzed the Demon Deacons with an 8-0 run in the third quarter to regain the lead right away.
Overcoming early issues
Tuff @KhamilPierre pic.twitter.com/RtUav5qk3L
— NC State WBB 🐺🏀 (@PackWomensBball) January 15, 2026
NC State actually came out rather toasty on the offensive end. However, Wake Forest did too and the Pack went cold later in the first quarter, while the Demon Deacons scored a whopping 33 points in that frame. Wake Forest star forward Grace Oliver came out with a quick 10 points, catching Moore’s team off guard.
The Wolfpack trailed by six points when the halftime buzzer sounded. Wake Forest was selected to finish 18th, dead last in the ACC, before the year began. There was no doubt NC State didn’t play some of its basketball early in the game, while the Demon Deacons likely played to their ceiling, perhaps even above it.
The Pack held Wake Forest to just 16 points in the second quarter and 13 in the third, creating a comfortable cushion by the time the fourth quarter began. NC State’s habit of dominating teams in specific quarters continued against the Demon Deacons, although the home team refused to go without a fight, ripping off a 15-2 run in the fourth quarter to cut the Wolfpack’s lead to 12 points.
Zam Jones is all the way back
Needed that 💪@ZamareyaJones beats the buzzer! pic.twitter.com/paSJem4Jwp
— NC State WBB 🐺🏀 (@PackWomensBball) January 15, 2026
The up-and-down nature of the game helped the Wolfpack’s sophomore guard regain some of the rhythm she started to show before she missed one game with an ankle injury. Zamareya Jones was a flame thrower in the second half, finding her shooting stroke once again. She buried all four of her attempts from downtown, making six in the game.
Jones showed no residual issues from the injury and appeared to be back at full strength after playing limited minutes in Sunday’s win over SMU. She finished with 20 points, five assists and a pair of steals. With No. 9 Louisville arriving in Raleigh on Sunday, her health will be the key to any upset dreams for the Wolfpack.
Frontcourt domination
Moore got the most out of his talented frontcourt duo in Winston-Salem. Sophomore forward Tilda Trygger continued her impressive offensive stretch, scoring 18 points in the win. She added 13 rebounds for a double-double, her fourth of the season, and buried a pair of triples.
“Today was awesome,” Trygger said after the win. “It makes it easier when we make our threes and when we go rebounding, but everybody’s here for each other and we came out as a team in the second half and I just love that about our team.”
AND 1 KP!!!!
— NC State WBB 🐺🏀 (@PackWomensBball) January 16, 2026
📊 26 points + 14 rebounds pic.twitter.com/bnYipaukXO
Trygger wasn’t alone in dominating the Demon Deacons inside, as Khamil Pierre continued to rip through ACC competition with another strong showing. The Vanderbilt transfer led the Wolfpack with 26 points and 14 rebounds for yet another double-double, her third in as many games.
Final word
GOT IT DONE pic.twitter.com/x63Ck8mbnb
— NC State WBB 🐺🏀 (@PackWomensBball) January 16, 2026
The Wolfpack shot the ball much better from 3-point range than it had at any point in the season before the Wake Forest game. NC State shot 11-29 from downtown, good for 37.9% after Moore said he expected more from his team from beyond the arc after the SMU win. Four of the team’s five starters finished in double figures, with Zoe Brooks adding a strong 16 points.
The Wolfpack can now turn all its attention to trying to steal a win against No. 9 Louisville in a massive Sunday tilt at Reynolds Coliseum.
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