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Ines Debroise’s free throws with six seconds remaining sealed the deal. Even if Zam Jones hadn’t misfired on a prayer of a 3-pointer, the result seemed inevitable.
Rhode Island marched into Raleigh’s Reynolds Coliseum on Sunday afternoon and left with an upset victory over No. 16 N.C. State, 68-63. It marked the first time ever that the Rams had beaten an AP-ranked opponent from a Power 4 conference, and just the second time they had defeated an AP-ranked team period.
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Four Rams scored in double-figures, with Vanessa Harris leading the charge with 15 points off the bench. Palmire Mbu chipped in 14 points, six rebounds and three assists. It’s a signature victory for seventh-year head coach Tammi Reiss, as the former Virginia guard won at one of the Tobacco Road arenas for the first time in her coaching career.
The loss for N.C. State stings in multiple ways and caps off a disastrous week for the ACC.
For starters, the defeat marked the first time since Dec. 13, 2015 that the Wolfpack lost to a mid-major opponent in Reynolds Coliseum. Back then, in coach Wes Moore’s third season at the helm, N.C. State fell by three points to Elon. The loss also marks the third of the season already for the Wolfpack, which was picked to finish second in the ACC this season in the conference’s preseason poll.
Moreover, according to documents obtained by SB Nation in a public records request, N.C. State paid Rhode Island $25,000 to show up for this game, plus covered the cost of 12 hotel rooms for the Rams. Reiss’ team got paid, secured a crucial victory, and enjoyed a free stay in Raleigh.
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A month ago, a lot of folks projected the Wolfpack and one of their Tobacco Road rivals — the Duke Blue Devils — as the top teams in the ACC and among the conference’s best bets to host opening weekend games in the NCAA Tournament. Both were ranked inside the top 10 of the AP Top 25 preseason poll.
N.C. State started the season strong with a win over Tennessee in…
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Publish date : 2025-11-24 03:53:00
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