RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Zoe Brooks scored 19 points and N.C. State finally took control in the second half to beat Vermont 75-55 in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James added 15 points apiece for the second-seeded Wolfpack, who reached the Final Four last year.
N.C. State (27-6), which has won 19 consecutive NCAA Tournament games at home, meets either Harvard or Michigan State in Monday’s second round.
Keira Hanson scored 21 points off the bench, Catherine Gilwee had 13 and Nikola Priede added 11 for No. 15 seed Vermont (21-13).
Vermont pulled ahead 27-24 midway through the second quarter on Hanson’s 3-pointer. The Wolfpack scored the last six points of the half for a 35-33 edge.
The Wolfpack saved their best stretch for late in the game, outscoring Vermont 23-9 in the fourth quarter.
Takeaways
Vermont: The Catamounts were one of the country’s best defensive teams, but they allowed more than 70 points for the first time since November.
N.C. State: It was the Wolfpack's first game in nearly two weeks after losing in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament final to Duke.
Up next
N.C. State will be home in the round of 32 for the second year in a row.
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