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Wolfpack Survives to Win Fourth ACC Game

Even without one key player, NC State outlast Cal to stay perfect in conference play.
Tucker Sennett|
NC State coach Wes Moore gestures during a women's college basketball game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the NC State Wolfpack at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. Oklahoma won 103-98.
NC State coach Wes Moore gestures during a women's college basketball game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the NC State Wolfpack at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. Oklahoma won 103-98. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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North Carolina State Wolfpack

RALEIGH — Wes Moore and NC State (11-4, 4-0 ACC) finished off a pair of games against the Bay Area ACC schools with a win over the California Golden Bears (9-7, 0-3 ACC) on Sunday, squeezing by 71-60 in a back-and-forth showing. The victory continued the Wolfpack’s perfect start to ACC play. 

The Pack found a way to win despite the absence of one of its key contributors, making the result even more impressive. However, taking down the Golden Bears came with a cost. 

A short-handed battle in the paint

NC State came into the matchup especially thin in the frontcourt. Sophomore forward Tilda Trygger came down with an illness after the win over Stanford and was ruled out before Sunday’s game. That news, along with word that sophomore center Lorena Awou was no longer with the team, meant the Wolfpack had just three healthy bigs between Khamil Pierre, Maddie Cox and Mallory Collier. 

Moore’s rotation shrank to just seven players in the first half, with Destiny Lunan and Mallory Collier coming off the bench to help the Wolfpack in limited minutes. Cal didn’t pose much of a threat from a size standpoint, so NC State’s guards were able to operate without the presence of a defensive threat in the paint. 

Pierre, normally accustomed to playing more of a stretch-four role, played at the four and the five alongside Cox and Collier at different points. She faced more physicality than normal and handled it well until she was poked in the eye early in the third quarter, coming out of the game for a stretch. When Cal took a one-point lead, Moore sent Pierre back into the fight. 

Pierre takes over 

As Cal made its push during the third quarter and Pierre checked back in, the tension in Reynolds Coliseum was palpable. The junior forward came out with a little more of an edge and attacked the basket relentlessly. With Zoe Brooks slowing down slightly after a dominant first half, Moore needed the best of Pierre as Cal’s offense continued to play efficiently. 

The Vanderbilt transfer scored eight of her 21 points in the third quarter, helping NC State win the period 19-9. She came up with a massive offensive rebound with under a minute left in the period, kicking out to an open Qadence Samuels, who buried the shot to give the Wolfpack a 56-45 lead. 

Guards get it done 

Zoe Brooks
Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Zoe Brooks (35) battles for the ball against the Southern California Trojans during the first quarter of the Ally Tipoff game at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

With the diminished front court, NC State needed its dynamic duo of guards at its best. Luckily for Moore and the Wolfpack, Brooks and Zam Jones were on point for most of the afternoon. Brooks paced the team throughout the first half, riding the high of her quality form against Stanford. She scored 13 of her 19 in the first half. 

Jones came alive in the second half. She distributed brilliantly in the third quarter and brought a much-needed intensity on the defensive end for the Wolfpack. As Cal made one last push in the fourth quarter, Jones killed the life with a stepback 3-pointer. The Golden Bears continued to trade baskets with Brooks and Jones during the quarter.

The defense of both Brooks and Jones helped NC State force 20 Cal turnovers, while those two combined for just three giveaways in the entire game. Brooks ended the game with four steals, while Jones chipped in with one of her own. They got help from Samuels, who played one of her best games with the Pack to date, scoring 13 points and going all 40 minutes.

Unfortunately, Jones suffered an injury in the final minute of the game. She dumped off a nice pass to Pierre for another layup and her seventh assist, but immediately crumbled to the ground, grabbing her lower leg. She was helped off the court by two members of the NC State staff. After the game, Moore suspected that Jones’ injury was likely an ankle sprain. 

Final Word

NC State's win gives the team room to maneuver in the conference very early in the ACC schedule. However, Jones' injury is definitely a cause for concern given the team's lack of depth and continued battle with illnesses. Brooks will need to continue playing at a high level to ensure the Pack doesn't slip up in the next week.

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Tucker Sennett
TUCKER SENNETT

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.

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