Wolfpack Downs Wake Forest to Stay Alive in Seeding Battle

RALEIGH — NC State women’s basketball did just enough to beat Wake Forest comfortably in the Wolfpack’s final game at Reynolds Coliseum on Thursday. The Pack rode a strong defensive third quarter to the 65-56 win, keeping the streaky Wake Forest offense under pressure through most of the victory.

It was a team effort, as four players scored in double figures and two members of the NC State roster posted double-doubles in the win. While Wes Moore wasn’t totally pleased with his group’s effort, the Wolfpack got the job done in a game it needed to just get through unscathed.

Sparks off the bench

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NC State got some valuable production from its reserves against Wake Forest. While the Demon Deacons hung around throughout the first three quarters, bench players like Devyn Quigley and Maddie Cox still found ways to impact the game positively for NC State without ever making it seem as though Wake had the momentum.

Quigley found her shooting stroke in the first half, offering an early offensive boost to the Wolfpack as it felt its way through the game. She scored eight points in the second quarter, burying a pair of triples, causing trouble for the Wake Forest defense, which sat back in a zone a handful of times. Quigley finished the night with 14 points and four rebounds. It was Quigley’s first double-digit scoring performance since the Dec. 14 win over Miami.

Cox’s energy helped on both ends, spelling the hard-working Khamil Pierre during stretches because of her ability to stretch the floor and defend effectively. She buried a 3-pointer just before the end of the first half, which put the Wolfpack up 10 points, but Wake Forest battled back to cut the halftime deficit to just five points. Cox posted three points, two rebounds and a pair of blocks for the Pack.

Quiet work from Brooks

Zo Dawg three, Maddie Cox denial

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— NC State WBB 🐺🏀 (@PackWomensBball) February 27, 2026

Junior guard Zoe Brooks continued her solid season with a very quiet, yet strong night on the offensive end. She identified matchups that favored her ball-handling and body control and picked at them as frequently as possible. Her shooting stroke didn’t elude her on Thursday, as she finished the game shooting 8-of-15 from the field.

The Wolfpack struggled to get a flow in the third quarter, but Brooks kept her team afloat, leading the offense through the entire period. The savvy guard scored nine of the Pack’s 14 points in those 10 minutes. With Pierre battling foul trouble throughout most of the game, Brooks had to step up and shoulder the brunt of the scoring load.

Her work on the defensive end was equally impressive, as she jumped the passing lanes well and tried to take Wake Forest’s guards out of the game to the best of her ability. She posted 17 points, three rebounds and three steals in the Wolfpack’s win.

Balanced scoring and ball movement

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Following his team’s loss to Duke, Moore placed a larger emphasis on ball movement. The Wolfpack is at its best when the ball goes from side to side offensively and the team runs its sets well, rather than devolving into the one-on-one style that defined many of the team’s losses, especially against ranked opponents.

While NC State only finished with 12 assists in Wednesday’s win, it felt as though the offense was more balanced and cohesive than it had been in prior games. Four different members of the team finished in double figures scoring the ball, as sophomore forward Tilda Trygger chipped in 16, while Pierre added 10.

Quality ball movement helped a 3-and-D player like Quigley find open space to launch her shots. It allowed Trygger to operate with far more success in the middle, especially considering her fairly significant size advantage in the game.

Final word

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— NC State WBB 🐺🏀 (@PackWomensBball) February 27, 2026

NC State controls its own destiny, needing a win on Sunday against Pittsburgh to secure a double-bye in the ACC Tournament, which starts next week in Duluth, Ga. The Wolfpack played closer to its floor than its ceiling down the stretch, but still coasted to victory despite losing the fourth quarter.

The Panthers rank near the bottom of the league standings, just as the Demon Deacons did entering Thursday night. NC State should have more on the line than Pittsburgh, allowing Moore to motivate his group adequately.

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