Where NC State Is Seeded in the ACC Tournament

RALEIGH — NC State's first season under Will Wade got off the rails over the final two weeks of the regular season, but the team banked enough wins early in league play to secure a bid to the ACC Tournament. After a 10-8 finish in conference, the Wolfpack officially secured the No. 7 seed in Charlotte, set for a matchup on Wednesday.

The Pack needed some help on Saturday to move up the seedlines for the ACC Tournament, but a home loss to Stanford and the other results going wrong essentially locked the team into the noon slot on Wednesday. Now, Wade and Co. must try to regroup and push for some success in the first game to secure a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

How NC State got here

Feb 28, 2026; South Bend, Indiana, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade claps against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

It appeared as though NC State turned a corner under Wade after winning six-straight games throughout February, but the team crumbled down the stretch against tougher competition in the ACC. Had the ball bounced a couple of times differently, there was a world where the Wolfpack earned a top-four seed in the conference tournament somewhat comfortably.

The collapse began on the road against Louisville, when the Wolfpack suffered a 41-point loss at the hands of the Cardinals. The team failed to recover in the following game at home, blowing a seven-point lead late to Miami, which ultimately went on to earn the No. 3 seed in the tournament under fellow first-year coach Jai Lucas. Frustration mounted for Wade and his players as the season wore on.

Mar 7, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Quadir Copeland (11) drives the ball against Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) during the first half at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

As for the comparison to the magical 2024 run, this version of the Wolfpack made it to the ACC Tournament in far better condition. Kevin Keatts' group finished conference play with a 9-11 record, but also lost the final four games of the conference season, just like Wade's team. However, the Keatts year required a run of five-straight ACC Tournament wins to have a shot of making the NCAA Tournament. That group found a way.

Only one remnant of the previous era remains in the Wolfpack locker room under Wade: Jordan Snell. NC State will lean on the former walk-on for wisdom as to how a team can turn things around so quickly and flip a switch to get hot at the right time and run through the conference tournament. It all starts Wednesday, when NC State faces either No. 10 seed Stanford or No. 15 seed Pitt.

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