NC State Dominates Michigan State in NCAA Tournament Second Round

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina State University women’s basketball team delivered a commanding performance Monday, defeating Michigan State University 83-49 in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The victory marked a program-record 15 made 3-pointers for the Wolfpack, who advanced to the Sweet 16 for the sixth time in coach Wes Moore‘s tenure.

Leading the charge for NC State was Diamond Johnson, who scored 26 points and connected on six 3-pointers. Raina Perez also contributed significantly with 17 points, hitting five shots from beyond the arc, while Jakia Brown-Turner added another 17 points and dished out 11 assists. The team demonstrated exceptional shooting skills, finishing the game with a striking 57.7% success rate from the field.

“I’ve learned there are times for me just to get out of the way and let them play,” Moore said after the game. “It was nice to see it because, I’ll be honest, we hadn’t really been shooting the ball as well.”

The Wolfpack started strong, making five of their first six attempts from 3-point range and quickly built a 25-9 lead. They showcased their offensive prowess by reaching a season-high of 12 3-pointers less than five minutes into the third quarter. Their sizzling start left Michigan State struggling to catch up.

Michigan State, now with a season record of 22-10, was unable to find their rhythm, shooting only 27% from the field and 26.7% from beyond the arc. “We’ve been a team that’s been able to go on runs,” said Spartans coach Robyn Fralick. “We’ve typically been able to do it with our defense and being able to kind of be disruptive. We never got that run today.”

NC State will face either the University of Connecticut or the University of Tennessee in the Sweet 16 matchup, scheduled for Friday in Spokane, Washington. This game adds another chapter to a season where the Wolfpack have shown resilience and capability to compete at the highest level.