NC State Women’s Basketball Rallies to Defeat Syracuse 74-66

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In a thrilling comeback, the NC State women’s basketball team defeated Syracuse 74-66 on Thursday night, overcoming a significant deficit to secure their ninth consecutive victory over the Orange. The win improved NC State’s record to 15-4 overall and 7-1 in conference play.

The Pack trailed for most of the game, leading for only three minutes, but a dominant fourth-quarter performance sealed the victory. NC State outscored Syracuse 20-9 in the final quarter, closing the game on an 11-0 run. Key contributions came from multiple players, including a 19-point performance from one standout and an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double from another.

NC State capitalized on Syracuse’s mistakes, scoring 22 points off 12 turnovers and dominating fast-break points 24-2. Despite a slow start, shooting just 3-of-10 from the field early, the Pack’s resilience and defensive adjustments in the second half proved decisive.

Syracuse led 24-15 after the first quarter and extended their advantage to 11 points in the second. However, NC State chipped away at the lead, cutting it to three points multiple times before halftime. The Orange maintained a 42-32 lead at the break.

The Pack’s second-half surge began with improved defense and timely scoring. A critical 8-0 run in the third quarter brought NC State within three points, and a buzzer-beating three-pointer narrowed the deficit to 57-54 heading into the fourth. The Pack tied the game early in the final quarter and took their first lead since the opening minutes with just over a minute remaining, ultimately sealing the win with clutch free throws and a technical foul on Syracuse’s head coach.

Postgame, NC State’s coach praised the team’s resilience and bench contributions. “We had to really rely on our bench,” the coach said. “Lorena [Awou] gave us great minutes, rebounding and being physical. We played through adversity and found a way to win.”

NC State will return to Raleigh to host Virginia Tech on Sunday, Jan. 26, at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network.