Wake Forest University
NC State
Deacs Battle Back to Top In-State Rival NC State
2/7/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeWBB)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Led by a new career-high by Ariel Stephenson, Wake Forest women's basketball battled from behind to top NC State on Sunday afternoon by the final of 63-58 at LJVM Coliseum.
NC State jumped out to a 16-3 lead in the first quarter, but the Demon Deacons chipped away at the advantage throughout the afternoon before taking the lead for the first time with 7:01 to go in the game.
Wake Forest improved to 13-11 on the season and 4-7 in ACC action. NC State dropped its second-straight game and now stands at 16-8 and 7-4 in ACC play. With 13 victories this year, Wake Forest has matched its total from the 2014-15 season and has doubled its ACC win total from last season. The win also gives Wake Forest its second two-game winning streak of ACC play this season.
The Demon Deacons have now topped NC State and North Carolina in the same season for the first time since 2003-04. It is also just the second time Wake Forest has beat both at home in program history, beating both in Winston-Salem during the 1987-88 season. The 1987-88 season is also the only time in program history Wake Forest has beat NC State, North Carolina and Duke in the same campaign. The Demon Deacons welcome Duke to LJVM Coliseum on Sunday, Feb. 14, with the chance to repeat the feat accomplished 28 years ago.
Stephenson totaled 22 points in the contest to set a new career high on 8-of-18 shooting and 4-of-8 from long range. The freshman has now led Wake Forest in scoring each of the last four games. Prior to the stretch, Stephenson only led Wake Forest in scoring four times in 20 games. Milan Quinn came up with multiple big layups down the stretch to finish with 11 points while Elisa Penna finished with 10. Overall, Wake Forest shot 44.7 percent in the contest on 21-of-47 from the floor.
NC State's early 13-point advantage mounted over the course of the first 7:21 of the game, but from there Wake Forest battled back to hold the Wolfpack scoreless throughout the remaining 2:39 while cutting the lead in half at 16-8 after one quarter.
The Deacs continued their run early in the second quarter, ultimately going on a 12-2 run over 5:16 of game action spanning the first two quarters to cut the deficit to just three. Though NC State responded with a 7-1 run to go up by nine midway through the second quarter, Wake Forest put together a 10-3 run over the final 4:21 of the frame to trail by just two point at halftime.
The two sides traded field goals throughout the third quarter as NC State bent but didn't break in allowing Wake Forest to tie things up at 39. But the Wolfpack ultimately took a five-point lead to the fourth quarter after going on a 9-4 run over the final four minutes since the game was tied.
Early in the fourth quarter, Stephenson scored a quick five points to erase the deficit. After the two teams traded points to keep it tied at 52 with 6:35 to go, the Wake Forest defense put on a clinic in holding the Wolfpack scoreless for a 5:23 stretch while going up 56-52.
Trailing by five at 59-53 with 35 seconds to go, NC State didn't go quietly and cut the lead to two at 60-58 with 17 seconds to play after Dominique Wilson hit a three. Out of an NC State timeout, Penna knocked down two free throws to stretch the lead to four and following a Demon Deacon stop on defense, Quinn hit another free throw to ice the game.
The Wolfpack was led by Jennifer Mathurin, who finished with 21 points on 6-of-13 shooting a 5-of-10 from long range. Miah Spencer chipped in 18 points in the contest, but no other player was allowed more than seven points by the Wake Forest defense. While Mathurin hit five three-pointers and Wilson knocked down one, Wake Forest did an excellent job defending NC State's other sharpshooter, Ashley Williams, as the Deacs held the junior scoreless in the contest while forcing her to an 0-for-6 night, all of which came from long range. Williams entered the game averaging 6.5 points per game and 7.1 in ACC play.
Next time out, Wake Forest hits the road for the second-to-last time during the 2015-16 regular season with a trip to Clemson. First tip between the Deacs and Tigers is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11. The Deacs are in search of their first three-game ACC winning streak since the 2011-12 season when they did it twice. That season, Wake Forest made its most recent trip to the WNIT, beating Charlotte in the first round before falling in overtime to James Madison
