It’s the clash of the titans in the ACC, as the showdown between Notre Dame and NC State just went into double overtime! Both teams are refusing to give up the lead, and are right at each other’s throats. Zoe Brooks from the Wolfpack has top-scored so far with 31 points, while NPOY candidate Hannah Hidalgo isn’t far behind with 26 to her name. Even with the last-minute excitement of this game, there was a uniquely memorable moment that happened right as the second half was about to end.

There is no doubt that Olivia Miles can finish at the rim. The five-foot-ten guard from Notre Dame is averaging 16.6 and 6 on amazing efficiency from the field. She’s one of the top WNBA prospects of this draft class, with ESPN putting her at #2! Miles quite recently recovered from a season-ending ACL injury in 2023-24. It is quite amazing that she’s doing so well! However, NC State said no easy buckets to the young talent.

In the last minute of the second quarter, Miles went in for a layup against NC State. She tried to go for an extended finish with a straight arm, however Wolfpack star Saniya Rivers was having none of that! She swatted Miles’ shot away, recording a powerful block on the NPOY candidate. It is not an easy task to block an extended finish, but Rivers took on the challenge, showing off her athleticism and jumping ability.

It was a monumental turning point in the game, as Rivers refused to let Olivia Miles do away with the NC State lead. Both teams are in a fight for every single point, and Saniya Rivers understands her role completely.

Fans react to the amazing block on Olivia Miles!

As expected, NC State fans went wild on social media as the first half drew to a close. The block was an explosive bit of work, drawing praise from stars and fans alike. Wolfpack fans were besides themselves as they looked at the magnificent rejection.

A Wolfpack fan account on X reacted majorly to the block. “SANIYA RIVERS JUST BLOCKED OLIVIA MILES INTO ANOTHER DIMENSION!!!” Showing amazing energy in NC State fans, and the amount of excitement that the play caused.

Another fan turned the sequence into a punchline of sorts. “Olivia Miles was aiming for two points, but Saniya Rivers served up crowd participation instead!” However, it is interesting to note that the Fighting Irish point guard did end up scoring 19 points, positively impacting her team’s attempt at the game.

There were a few people purely addressing the block as a purely athletic feat! One user on X thought around this line. “Olivia miles explodes to rack but how about Saniya block !!” They gave their due credits to Miles as well for a very explosive attempt.

And some fans are looking at it from the lens of gender division. A fan on X was happy about the game’s result, and that the women’s game is developing. “well well well. You don’t see that in a female game! Get that out of here!”

All in all, the block was out of this world. It was impressive for a number of reasons, and it was a huge momentum shifter towards NC State. The Wolfpack has pulled away in double overtime for an incredible thriller, and Saniya Rivers has cemented herself as one to watch!