The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1536961
JULY/AUGUST 2025 ■ 39 BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN W ith the roar of the crowd seemingly about to fade, the NC State women's basket- ball team turned the volume back up. The Wolfpack had just beaten Michi- gan State, 83-49, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. After the clos- ing seconds of its 18-0 home season had ticked away, seniors Aziaha James, Madi- son Hayes and Saniya Rivers prepared to leave the floor for the last time. With the sold-out gym erupting behind her, James seemed to finally give in to the moment. Tears streamed down her face as she took in the scene that March afternoon. "Wolfpack Nation has been behind my back since I came here," she said shortly afterward. "Just the love that they bring. They're not just fans, they're our family. They take care of us." That 34-point drubbing of the Spartans didn't just put the finishing touches on a perfect home record this season. It also earned NC State a spot in the Sweet 16 for the 17th time in program history. And while the team fell to LSU, 80- 73, in Spokane, Wash., it exceeded its early-season expectations. It had seemed for a while that the Wolfpack could be headed for a re- building season. NC State dropped three of its first seven games, a tough start to the campaign. But instead of coming apart, the Pack came together. It won 24 of its last 27 games, and in doing so became The Wolfpacker's Women's Team of the Year. Rivers and James played pivotal roles in the team's surge. The two guards helped NC State defeat five ranked foes during the regular season, a performance highlighted by a come- from-behind win over then-No. 10 Duke and a double-overtime victory against then-No. 1 Notre Dame. James powered the Wolfpack past the Blue Devils with a career-best 36 points, while sophomore guard Zoe Brooks daz- zled with 33 to defeat the Irish just over two weeks later. The Pack had known going into the season that its backcourt was going to be a strength, but the frontcourt was up in the air after Boston University transfer Caitlin Weimar suffered a season-end- ing hip injury during preseason practice. With the senior forward sidelined, who would be the one to fill the void in the middle was unclear. Freshman forward Tilda Trygger, a natural stretch four, was inserted into the post. It took her a while to get com- fortable, but by the time NC State hit its peak in February, Trygger's confidence had grown. "She embraced the opportunity," NC State associate head coach Nikki West said just before the NCAAs began. "I think this is why she's having some suc- cess. She did not go against the grain of what's being asked of her. She works on her post moves, she's gotten stronger and she continues to compete every day. Never one day did she question going down there on the block. She wanted to soak up and learn as much as she could." Trygger averaged 6.6 points and 4.9 rebounds with three double-doubles in her first college season, while classmate Lorena Awou emerged as an effective rotation player with 3.2 points and 2.5 boards. Although NC State had plenty of con- tributions from its young players, James and Rivers were the ones who steered the Wolfpack for most of the year. The former was an elite bucket- getter, averaging a team-best 17.9 points, while the latter impacted the game in every facet — especially on the defensive end. That duo seemed the most emo- tional following their final game in Raleigh. They helped the program maintain its momentum and proved that it can withstand the loss of other key players. Fol- lowing the season, both were selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft — Rivers by the Con- necticut Sun with the No. 8 pick and James by the Dallas Wings four spots later. They had helped make Reynolds Coliseum one of the toughest road venues in all of women's college basketball, an accomplishment they considered to be a badge of honor. "That's Reynolds for you," Riv- ers said. "They show up every time. There's always that red, anywhere we go. It's hard to beat us in this building." ■ 2024-25 YEAR IN REVIEW TEAMS OF THE YEAR FEMALE TEAM OF THE YEAR FAREWELL TOUR Senior Stars Bow Out By Leading The Wolfpack Back To The Sweet 16 Guards Saniya Rivers (left) and Aziaha James were the catalysts behind NC State's sprint to the Sweet 16 earlier this year. Following the season, both were chosen in the first round of the WNBA Draft. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS