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No. 4 NC State women rally from 16 points down, beat BC

Jimmy Golen | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 11 months AGO
by Jimmy Golen
| December 13, 2020 2:06 PM

BOSTON (AP) — North Carolina State forward Kayla Jones was knocked onto her back, out of breath, after a layup that would have cut what had been a 16-point Boston College lead down to four with less than three minutes remaining.

“When she said a charge I said, ‘Oh my goodness.’ I was gassed,” Jones said. “I’m just glad they overturned it.”

After a talk among the officials, the ruling was changed to a blocking foul and the basket counted. Jones missed the free throw but hit a 3-pointer after the Wolfpack got the rebound and No. 4 N.C. State was back on its way to a 75-69 victory over BC on Sunday.

“As we sometimes say, ‘That was a ugly baby, but it’s our baby,’” Wolfpack coach Wes Moore said. “We’re happy to get out of here with a win.”

Jones scored 25 points and Elissa Cunane had 23 points with 15 rebounds on Sunday as the Wolfpack (6-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) scored 25 of the game’s last 29 points to remain unbeaten. Jones had 11 points — including nine in a row as the Wolfpack cut a double-digit deficit to one point — and Cunane had eight rebounds in the fourth quarter.

“This league is tough ... our team needs to know that. Hopefully we can learn from that,” Moore said. “To get out of here with a win and still be able to learn from it will be a good thing.”

Makayla Dickens scored 20 points, and Cam Swartz and Marnelle Garraud had 15 apiece for BC (4-2, 0-2 ACC). The Eagles made just two baskets in the fourth quarter while committing six turnovers.

Boston College led for all but the first basket and took its biggest lead, 65-49, early in the fourth quarter before the Wolfpack ran off eight straight points. After a layup by Taylor Soule with 4:44 left, N.C. State scored the next 15 points, taking the lead with 1:25 to play on a pair of free throws by Jakia Brown-Turner.

TURNING POINT

BC led 67-61 with three minutes left when Wolfpack guard Raina Perez knocked away a pass intended for Swartz in front of the Eagles bench, knocking her down in the process. BC coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee argued for a foul while the play went the other way.

Under the other basket, Jones drove for a layup that was initially waved off as a charging foul. After the referees discussed it, they decided Dickens’ feet were on the circle and it was a blocking foul.

Jones’ 3-pointer made it a five-point possession and a one-point game.

BIG PICTURE

N.C. State: After a series of 30-, 40-, and 50-point victories over teams like North Florida and Elon, the Wolfpack beat No. 5 South Carolina for a quality win. But a close win over unranked BC could be an indication that the ACC will present a tougher challenge for N.C. State.

Boston College: Starting ACC play with a loss to Georgia Tech could have signaled a step backward this season. Instead, the Eagles showed they can stay with the best teams in the league.

UP NEXT

N.C. State: Hosts Wake Forest on Thursday night.

Boston College: Hosts Syracuse on Sunday.

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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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