Has Wolfpack Women's Basketball Done Enough For Top 25 Spot?
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RALEIGH — Head coach Wes Moore and NC State women's basketball went on the road and got a key win over the Virginia Cavaliers, sliding up in the ACC standings. It wiped away some of the disappointment for Moore's squad after coming up short in overtime against No. 8 Louisville, as the Wolfpack proved it could get the job done in a close game down the stretch.
While the highly difficult non-conference schedule is well in the rearview, NC State needed to recover from some of the losses early in the season in order to earn national respect once again. The team has operated outside of the AP Top 25 for the better part of two months, but could be poised to jump back in.
Should the Wolfpack be ranked?
With the win over the 'Hoos, NC State finds itself in sole possession of third place in the ACC, holding a 7-2 record since the start of conference play. The slip-up on the road against Clemson certainly hurts the Wolfpack's hopes of regaining national recognition, but the team acquitted itself well against Louisville even in the loss. Saturday's win could be enough to sway voters to put the Pack back into the top 25.
There haven't been many teams tested more than NC State. The Wolfpack has a 3-5 record in Quadrant 1 games. That matches Duke, which is ranked No. 21 in the country with an identical 14-6 record through 20 games. The difference between the Wolfpack and the Blue Devils is the fact that Kara Lawson's team has yet to lose a game in conference play, while the Pack has two losses.
While the national recognition is nice in theory and improves the Wolfpack's chances of potentially hosting a round in the NCAA Tournament, Moore might be more comfortable operating as an underdog with this young group. The team has been close in nearly all of its ranked matchups, even though there isn't a single senior on the roster.
Had NC State found a way to hold on against Louisville, it likely would've already been ranked. The lone game on Saturday and another week with just one game coming up next week could help the Pack avoid any potential landmines before a pivotal matchup against in-state rival North Carolina back at the Reynolds Coliseum. If the Wolfpack doesn't receive a ranking on Monday, one more win could set it up as a ranked home team hosting a plucky Tar Heels squad next week.
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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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