No. 5 N.C. State stays perfect, beats Illinois State 79-61

RALEIGH, N.C. - There was a sense of history for No. 5 North Carolina State on Sunday and this version of Wolfpack wants to add to it.

With a collection of basketball alums looking on to celebrate the program’s 50th season, Aziaha James scored 16 points and River Baldwin had 10 of her 14 points in the first nine minutes as N.C. State kept its undefeated season rolling by beating Illinois State 79-61.

Several dozen former N.C. State players and staff members were honored as part of the reunion weekend.

"It feels great to play for N.C. State and play for them," James said.

Mimi Collins added 13 points for N.C. State (9-0), which has won nine straight games to begin a season for the fourth time in coach Wes Moore’s 11 seasons. This is N.C. State’s eighth 9-0 start overall.

Memories were flowing through historic Reynolds Coliseum.

"You owe a lot of that to Kay Yow and her history here," Moore said of the legendary coach. "It’s nice to have the eras connect and get to know each other."

Caroline Waite, who made six 3-point shots, scored 23 points for Illinois State (6-2), which had a five-game winning streak snapped. Half the Redbirds’ 20 field goals were 3-pointers.

Illinois State coach Kristen Gillespie (N.C. State, Class of 1999) was a member of the Wolfpack’s 1998 Final Four team and received a special pregame introduction.

Gillespie said she last attended a game here in 2009 when she was on the Wolfpack coaching staff.

"I’ve been a part of some really big moments, great wins (at Reynolds Coliseum)," Gillespie said. "You don’t know how much you miss a place until you come back."

The Wolfpack led 39-25 at halftime, with Baldwin accounting for 12 points.

N.C. State scored on six of its first seven possessions.

"Our challenge was we weren’t going to fold," Gillespie said. "We weren’t going to get knocked out."

The only points for Illinois State in the first 6½ minutes came on three 3-pointers from Waite. The Redbirds didn’t have a two-point basket until almost three minutes into the second quarter and didn’t attempt a free throw until about three minutes remaining in the first half on Waite’s three-point play.

The Redbirds, meeting a top 5 team for the first time in 31 years, were 5-of-9 on 3s and 0-for-2 on 2s in the first quarter.

"I joked when we agreed to this game, I didn’t know they were going to be fifth in the country," Gillespie said.

BIG PICTURE

Illinois State: The Redbirds didn’t get much going offensively inside the 3-point arc and they managed to pull in only two offensive rebounds. The Redbirds couldn’t repeat their 1981 upset of a then-No. 10 N.C. State team from the only previous meeting between the teams.

N.C. State: The Wolfpack looked fluid in transition to go with an interior attack that was too difficult for Illinois to handle. Nine different N.C. State players had at least one basket.

"Transition helps," Moore said. "We got the ball inside. We did a good job penetrating and kicking and dishing."

UP NEXT

Illinois State: Next Sunday at home vs. No. 23 Marquette.

N.C. State: Next Sunday at home vs. Liberty.