Freshman Zoe Brooks scores 19 as No. 6 NC State routs Virginia 93-66

RALEIGH, N.C. -- — Zoe Brooks scored a season-high 19 points to help No. 6 North Carolina State rout Virginia 93-66 on Thursday night.

Brooks, a freshman making her fifth start, shot 7 of 12 from the floor, drew seven fouls and also had three assists. The Wolfpack (15-1, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) also got 17 points from Madison Hayes, 15 points from Aziaha James, 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds from Mimi Collins, and 13 points from Lexi Steele.

“I liked the way we came out,” Wolfpack coach Wes Moore said. “I think we’re better when we run, when we push tempo, and I thought we came out with that attitude.”

Camryn Taylor paced Virginia (8-7, 0-4 ACC) with 22 points and six rebounds before fouling out, while Kymora Johnson added 14 points.

The Wolfpack never trailed and jumped to a big lead by closing the first quarter on a 19-3 run. In the second quarter, Steele scored 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting as the Wolfpack took a 23-point lead into halftime.

“That’s the goal every game, to just jump down people’s throat in the beginning so that we don’t have to worry about it being close, especially at the end,” Brooks said.

N.C. State led by 34 points following a 22-9 run in the third quarter.

“We didn’t really stick to our defensive game plan. I think we’ve shown that we can defend,” Virginia coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton said. “We never really get beat like that in transition over and over again. We have to take that on the chin and fix it and get better.”

N.C. State doesn’t play again for a week and Moore is hoping that the Wolfpack can use it as an opportunity to rest and get healthy. When the schedule was first announced, Moore thought this break came too early in the ACC schedule, but he’s happy it’s here now.

The win over Virginia was the second straight game that starting forward River Baldwin missed after she suffered a right ankle injury last week against Florida State.

“With River Baldwin out now, maybe it is good to have a little bit of extra time and hopefully get her back as soon as possible,” Moore said.

BIG PICTURE

Virginia: This loss was Virginia’s fifth in its last six games and the schedule doesn’t get any easier. Virginia’s next three games are all against opponents ranked in this week’s AP Top 25. What doomed the Cavaliers against N.C. State was their defense. N.C. State’s 48.5% shooting mark from the field is the best a Virginia opponent has shot this season.

N.C. State: The Wolfpack got a bounce-back win after enduring their first loss of the season on Sunday on a last-second shot at Virginia Tech. The key for N.C. State was its ability to succeed in transition. The Wolfpack outscored the Cavaliers 36-14 on fast breaks and turned 16 Virginia turnovers into 23 points.

UP NEXT

Virginia: Plays at No. 20 North Carolina on Sunday.

N.C. State: Visits Miami next Thursday night.

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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP--Top25