NC State Falls Apart in ACC Tournament Quarterfinal

NC State women's basketball battled over the final week to earn the critical double-bye in the 2026 Ally ACC Tournament. The Wolfpack waited two rounds before finding out it would play Notre Dame, which throttled the Pack in South Bend, Ind. The opportunity for revenge was there, but NC State completely crumbled under the pressure once again, falling 81-63 to the Fighting Irish.

A lethargic start doomed Wes Moore's team once again, as all of his main concerns came to be. NC State played one-on-one basketball while the Fighting Irish leaned on ACC Player of the Year Hannah Hidalgo, who carried them to victory with 25 points. By the end of the third quarter, it was clear that the Wolfpack wouldn't be making a run through a tournament it'd become known to dominate.

What went wrong?

The Wolfpack stayed in the fight through most of the first half, battling back from a handful of larger deficits. Still, the defense NC State showed against Hidalgo and others didn't appear to be sustainable, as the Player of the Year faced little resistance in the paint despite the Pack holding a distinct size advantage with sophomore forward Tilda Trygger.

The Swedish sophomore continued to struggle in another big moment, failing to score before she ultimately finished the game with just two rebounds. Trygger's struggles placed an even larger burden on junior forward Khamil Pierre, who posted a double-double but was the only efficient scorer in the entire game for NC State. Pierre finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds.

Mar 6, 2026; Duluth, GA, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack forward Khamil Pierre (12) grabs a rebound against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second quarter at Gas South Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Pierre, Zamareya Jones and Zoe Brooks combined for 16 of the Wolfpack's 17 total turnovers in the game, as Notre Dame's frenetic defense completely iced out the NC State offense. As for shooting the basketball, things weren't much better, as the Pack made just 4-of-19 shots from beyond the 3-point arc. The team shot 42.1% from the field.

It was a similar game to the one the Wolfpack lost earlier in the season to the Fighting Irish, as one horrific quarter killed any hope for a comeback attempt or win. Notre Dame outscored NC State 22-9 in the third quarter, as the Pack took more than half the quarter to make its first field goal, which came via 3-pointer from Maddie Cox.

The Wolfpack's trip to Duluth was short-lived. Now, NC State must await its NCAA Tournament fate and destination, which will come on the Selection Show on March 15.

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