RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Zoe Brooks scored 21 points and Aziaha James posted all but two of her 17 points in the second half to help No. 9 N.C. State open a highly anticipated season with an 80-55 win over East Tennessee State on Tuesday night.
Saniya Rivers and Madison Hayes both had 11 points as the Wolfpack geared up for this weekend’s showdown with top-ranked South Carolina.
Braylyn Milton and reserve Carmen Richardson led East Tennessee State with 12 points apiece. Kendall Folley chipped in 10 points for the Buccaneers, who led by six points late in the first half.
Prior to the game, N.C. State unveiled a Final Four banner recognizing last season’s team.
NO. 14 OHIO STATE 104, CLEVELAND STATE 69
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Freshman Kennedy Cambridge scored 31 points in her debut, Cotie McMahon added 17 points and No. 14 Ohio State opened the season with a victory over Cleveland State.
Cambridge is a McDonald’s All-American and the highest ranked recruit in OSU program history at No. 2 overall. She was 12 of 14 from the field and 5 of 5 at the free-throw line. She also had six rebounds, six assists and just two turnovers in 26 minutes.
The Buckeyes went on a 20-3 run in the first quarter to go ahead by double figures for good. Cambridge made her first six field goals, including 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions early in the second quarter for a 19-point lead.
Cleveland State finished the first half with just nine field goals as Ohio State led 42-24. The Buckeyes scored 17 points off 17 Cleveland State turnovers in the first half.
NO. 16 WEST VIRGINIA 85, TOWSON 41
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Jordan Harrison scored 18 of her career-high 23 points in the first half, Sydney Shaw added 19 points and No. 16 West Virginia beat Towson to start the second season of coach Mark Kellogg’s tenure with the Mountaineers.
West Virginia is 23-3 in season openers since the 1999-00 season, including victories in the last 11.
Harrison made six field goals in the first half, while Towson was just 7 of 18 (39%), to help build a 38-25 lead. Shaw, a transfer from Auburn, made a 3-pointer on consecutive possessions midway through the third quarter for a 53-32 lead.
West Virginia scored 18 of the opening 20 points of the fourth quarter to seal it.
JJ Quinerly, who was named to the Naismith College women’s basketball player of the year watchlist, had 14 points for her 68th double-figure games as a Mountaineer.
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