The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1318516
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 ■ 19 TRACKING THE PACK ■ Down Goes No. 1 Coming out of a timeout with 42.7 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, NC State women's basketball had a two-point lead on No. 1 South Carolina at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C., on Dec. 3. The Wolfpack, ranked eighth nationally at the time, burned 10 seconds off of the clock before senior forward Kayla Jones set a ball screen at the top of the key for sophomore guard Jakia Brown-Turner. Brown-Turner drove to her right and kicked it back to a wide-open Jones, who sank a three- pointer to give the Pack a five-point advantage with 26 seconds to go. Jones followed up her big shot by drawing a charge on the defensive end, which gave the ball back to the Wolfpack with a two-possession lead in the final seconds of the contest. NC State added three free throws to upset the Gamecocks 54-46, marking the program's first victory over a top-ranked opponent since 2007. It was the third time the Wolfpack had upset the nation's No. 1 team in 20 tries. Jones finished the game with a team-high 16 points and 12 rebounds, including a 2-of-2 mark from beyond the arc. The Pack ended South Carolina's 29-game win streak entering the top-10 matchup, and it also marked the Gamecocks' first home loss since the end of the 2018-19 regular season. It was the first time USC's powerhouse program was held below 50 points since February 2013. Prior to the loss, South Carolina had received 29 of a possible 30 first-place votes in the Asso- ciated Press poll and 31 of 32 in the USA Today coaches' rankings. After its 4-0 start, the Wolf- pack women rose from No. 8 to No. 4 in the AP listing (with a pair of first-place votes) and went from No. 6 to No. 3 per the coaches. — Justin H. Williams Photo By Chris Downey, Courtesy NC State Athletics