NC State Guard Ruled Out For Massive Second Round Game

NC State's road to the second weekend of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament just got significantly harder. The NCAA availability report released Sunday morning revealed that junior guard Zoe Brooks won't play against No. 2 seed Michigan, as she suffered an ankle injury during her team's 76-61 win over Tennessee in the first round of the tournament on Friday.

Brooks' absence places tremendous pressure on other members of the Wolfpack backcourt, particularly sophomore Zamareya Jones. However, freshman Ky'She Lunan will have to step into the junior's starting spot for the game after filling in through most of the second half, after Brooks left the game in pain. It will be a massive challenge for NC State, but stranger things have happened in March.

Handling a difficult situation

Mar 6, 2026; Duluth, GA, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Wes Moore on the sideline against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second quarter at Gas South Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Lunan scored four points in her relief minutes of Brooks during Friday's win over Tennessee. However, the more important part of her presence came from the fact that she provided an outlet for Jones as the sophomore handled nearly all of the ball-handling duties in the first three quarters. Knowing her role had been elevated, Lunan wasn't afraid of the moment. Now, she'll be even more in the spotlight.

"Ky'She is a very talented player. It's a big adjustment from the mental standpoint and all the things that are thrown at them, but she's handled that really well," Moore said. "She played well the first time we played Tennessee. She handled it really well and was a big part of that win."

Ky'She Lunan — Oklahoma Sooners guard Zya Vann (3) knocks the ball away from NC State Wolfpack guard Destiny Lunan (7) during a women's college basketball game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the NC State Wolfpack at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. Oklahoma won 103-98. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There's no doubt Jones will be keeping her new backcourt mate as confident as possible throughout the heat of battle on Sunday. Brooks and Jones formed one of the more formidable backcourt duos in the ACC during their second season working with one another and first as full-time starters. That makes the shoes Lunan will try to fill even bigger and more daunting, but Jones has ultimate confidence.

"She definitely helped me bring the ball up the court, getting off the ball a little bit," Jones said Friday. "She made a couple of mistakes, but she's a freshman, so I took responsibility. ... She's a great kid. She definitely is a bucket and she definitely stepped up big in this game."

Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Destiny Lunan (7) loses the ball against the Southern California Trojans during the second quarter of the Ally Tipoff game at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

While it's highly unlikely Lunan makes up for Brooks' 16 points and 4.3 assists per game in her start on Sunday, she'll need to find ways to chip into those totals as one of the team's primary ball-handlers against more relentless pressure from Michigan. Moore has the utmost confidence in his young guard after putting her through the fires of the sport in the regular season.

"I've got a lot of confidence in her and I think the other players do as well. That helps," Moore said. "Still not the same as having Zoe out there, a junior with her experience and all that she's done, but either way, we'll be ready to play."