WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Saniya Rivers scored eight points in the third quarter and 10 of her team-high 12 points in the second half to help No. 22 North Carolina State pull away from Wake Forest for a 51-42 win on Thursday night.
The road win was the Wolfpack’s ninth straight over Wake Forest and comes after back-to-back losses at Georgia Tech and at home to No. 11 Virginia Tech.
Jade Boyd’s layup with just under three minutes left in the first half gave NC State a 23-18 lead, but the Demon Deacons got a layup from Kaia Harrison and a jumper from Jewel Spear to trail by just one at intermission.
Rivers’ jumper midway through the third quarter gave the Wolfpack a 36-25 lead, but Wake Forest closed out the quarter on a 5-0 run capped by a Jewel Spear 3 to get within six, 38-32. NC State pushed its lead back to double digits in the fourth quarter and Wake Forest couldn’t get closer than eight from there.
NC State (17-7, 7-6 ACC) made just 19 of 56 from the floor (33.9%) and missed all 10 of its 3-point attempts. The Wolfpack was 13 of 16 from the line.
Wake Forest (14-11, 5-9) was 16 of 62 from the field (25.8%), including 3 of 20 from beyond the arc. Spear was 5 of 24 from the field, including 1 of 10 from distance, and finished with 11 points. Elise Williams grabbed 11 rebounds.
NC State travels to face Virginia Sunday, then has three straight games against ranked opponents: No. 14 North Carolina, No. 11 Virginia Tech and No. 9 Duke.
Wake Forest has a week off before traveling to face Georgia Tech on February 16.
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