GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The North Carolina State women's basketball team (9-3) earned a 73-62 victory over Eastern Kentucky (4-5) in Game One of the 25th annual Gator Holiday Classic inside the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on Sunday.
The Wolfpack built a 26-22 first-quarter lead and finished the half strong, extending that lead to a commanding 47-33 mark. Jennifer Mathurin led the home team with 16 points in the first half.
Eastern Kentucky was led by Alexus Cooper and Jalen O'Bannon who tallied eight points apiece through the first two quarters. The Colonels eventually trimmed the home team's lead to single digits in the second half, 53-44, after outscoring the Wolfpack, 11-6, in the third quarter.
A back-and-fourth battle kept the fourth quarter close before North Carolina State sealed the contest with a three-pointer at the 1:26 mark to put the Wolfpack up by 10 points.
Eastern Kentucky fought through the final minutes but were unable to compete the comeback as NC State picked up their ninth win on the season.
Mathurin (20) and O'Bannon (17) led their respective teams in scoring.
Both teams will be back in action tomorrow, wrapping up the second and final day of competition at the Gator Holiday Classic. North Carolina State will square away with the winner of the Florida vs. Saint Francis game, while Eastern Kentucky will face the lower seed.
