Raleigh, N.C. >> 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.
NO. 14 OHIO STATE 104, CLEVELAND STATE 69>> 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 in Columbus.
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.
NO. 16 WEST VIRGINIA 85, TOWSON 41>> 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.
Late Monday: CSU 82, North Dakota 56>> Nique Clifford’s 20 points helped Colorado State defeat North Dakota 82-56 on Monday night in the season opener for both teams.
Clifford added 14 rebounds for the Rams. Keshawn Williams shot 6 of 9 from the field and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line to add 14 points. Kyle Jorgensen had nine points and went 4 of 7 from the field (0 for 3 from 3-point range).
Treysen Eaglestaff led the Fightin’ Hawks in scoring, finishing with 12 points. Mier Panoam added 10 points and two steals for North Dakota. Amar Kuljuhovic finished with nine points.
Colorado State took the lead with 19:47 left in the first half and never looked back. Clifford led his team in scoring with 10 points in the first half to help put them up 39-22 at the break. Colorado State pulled away with a 12-0 run in the second half to extend an 18-point lead to 30 points.
— The Associated Press