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Bracketology Bump From ESPN and Others Puts Wolfpack In Strong Position

The Wolfpack is sitting pretty in the NCAA Tournament field. Find out more about its position on this episode of the NC State Insider Podcast.
Tucker Sennett|
Jan 27, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack mascots dance during the second half of the game against the Syracuse Orange at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
Jan 27, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack mascots dance during the second half of the game against the Syracuse Orange at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

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North Carolina State Wolfpack

The latest win over Wake Forest helped NC State's metrics and NET ranking. The Wolfpack appears to be firmly in the mix for a bid to the NCAA Tournament come March, but there is still work to be done thoughout the ACC schedule. Before the win over the Demon Deacons, the Pack got some reassurance about its standing among prominent bracketologist.

In the latest Bracketology update from ESPN insider Joe Lunardi, the Wolfpack moved up a seed line from a No. 9 seed to a No. 8 seed, destined for a matchup against Saint Mary's of the West Coast Conference in the first round according to the veteran bracketologist. Whether that holds true remains to be seen, as there are many obstacles in the rest of NC State's schedule.

NC State Insider Podcast

On this episode of the NC State Insider Podcast, host and lead beat writer Tucker Sennett breaks down what the update from Lunardi and other bracketologists on the Bracket Matrix means for the Wolfpack, as well as how the resumé for the team is shaping up with multiple Quadrant 1 opportunities left on the schedule.

Wade's thoughts on beating Wake Forest

Will Wad
Jan 24, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade reacts on the court against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Will Wade and NC State needed to keep the positive momentum going with another Quadrant 1 opportunity, at least for now, on Saturday. The Wolfpack traveled to Wake Forest and took down the Demon Deacons 96-78, boosting several key offensive metrics. The dominant victory moved the Pack to 7-2 in conference play and continued an upward swing for this group.

Shooting the basketball played a major role in the victory. NC State buried 16 shots from beyond the 3-point arc, attempting 28 in the game. The Wolfpack shot 54% from the field overall, but the success from 3-point range made any comeback attempt from Wake Forest futile. The Pack pushed its team average to 39.9% from deep so far this season in Saturday's game.

"We're not going to shoot 57%. We can't control how we shoot every night, but we can control the quality of shots that we get," the Wolfpack coach said. "I thought our quality of threes, I can think of two or three that were pretty poor, but all the rest of our quality of threes were pretty good. I focus on what we can control, which is the quality of our shots and I think that our shot quality was solid today."

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Tucker Sennett
TUCKER SENNETT

Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.

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