The amazing run by the Miami basketball team in the ACC Women’s Championship Game ended to North Carolina State 60-47, the third-ranked team nationally. Miami upset second seed and fourth-ranked Louisville on Friday and third seed and number 20 Notre Dame on Saturday. North Carolina State owned the final three quarters.
The Wolfpack led 12-20 after the first quarter before taking control. A late burst in the second quarter gave North Carolina State a 32-23 lead at halftime. The Wolfpack had a 10-0 run in the last 4:09 of the second quarter with five of those points coming in the final minute to seemingly bury Miami.
Miami never got close then eight the rest of the game. After Karla Erjavec made two free throws 33 seconds into the third quarter, North Carolina State outscored Miami 14-4 over the final 7:33 to take a 51-33 lead entering the final 10 minutes. Miami outscored NC State 14-9 in the fourth quarter but it wasn’t enough.
North Carolina State center Elissa Cunane had 17 points and eight rebounds despite missing a sizeable portion of the game with an ankle injury. Kelsey Marshall scored 24 points to lead Miami. Marshall was the only Miami player to score in double figures. The Hurricanes shot 31.5 percent and were three of 19 on three-point attempts.
North Carolina State was not much better. The Wolfpack shot 35.1 percent from the floor and made five of their 19 three-point attempts. North Carolina State controlled most of the game. The Wolfpack had the lead for 33:14, Miami just 4:34. North Carolina State improves to 29-3 with the victory. Miami is 20-12.
The Wolfpack cruised through the ACC regular-season 17-1. Miami went 10-8 in the ACC. According to Charlie Creme of ESPN, a month ago the Miami basketball team wasn’t even being considered for the NCAA Tournament at 12-10. Miami will enter the NCAA Tournament with eight wins in their last 10 games.
The Hurricanes will earn an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2018. On Sunday morning Creme projected Miami as a ninth seed in the East Region playing in the Columbia, South Carolina subregional against ninth seed Utah. Subregional host South Carolina is the projected top seed in the NCAA Tournament.