Waggoner, Boston College push past No. 10 NC State 79-71

Updated Jan. 5, 2023 9:03 p.m. ET

Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Dontavia Waggoner had 23 points and 10 rebounds to help Boston College beat No.10 North Carolina State 79-71 on Thursday night.

Maria Gakdeng added 17 points for the Eagles (12-5, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who stopped a 10-game losing streak in the series and earned their first win against the Wolfpack since February 2015.

The school said it also marked the program's first win against a top-10 opponent since beating Florida State in 2010.

The Eagles fell behind by 10 points early in the second quarter, but rallied to even the score by halftime. They then took their own double-digit lead (55-44) late in the third quarter, sending the Wolfpack into catch-up mode the rest of the game.

Waggoner drove that effort, making 10 of 17 shots to go with her big rebounding day. Andrea Daley joined her with 11 rebounds to help the Eagles finish with an 42-34 edge on the glass to go along with a 45% shooting that including 6 for 12 from behind the arc and a 19-for-26 performance at the foul line.

Jada Boyd scored 20 points to lead the Wolfpack (12-3, 2-2), while Diamond Johnson had 18 points in her return from a four-game absence due to an ankle injury.

BIG PICTURE

Boston College: The Eagles had won four straight since losing to No. 9 Virginia Tech on Dec. 7, only to fall by 37 points at fourth-ranked Notre Dame on New Year's Day. Then they fell behind by 10 early in the second quarter of this one, seemingly setting the stage for another wobbly showing against a highly ranked team. Instead, Waggoner and the Eagles steadied themselves, pushed ahead and held off multiple Wolfpack bids to get back in the game.

N.C. State: The Wolfpack fell four spots in this week's AP Top 25 after losing last week at home to now-No. 19 Duke. This one is almost certain to drop Wes Moore's three-time reigning ACC champion out of the top 10 next week.

UP NEXT

Boston College: Hosts Florida State on Sunday.

N.C. State: Hosts Virginia on Sunday.

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Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap

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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