Projecting NC State's First Round Starting Five Against Tennessee

NC State women's basketball is set to begin its journey through the 2026 NCAA Tournament in Ann Arbor, Mich., against a familiar foe. The Wolfpack took on Tennessee when both teams began the year ranked in the top 10, knocking off the Volunteers in the season opener in Greensboro, N.C. It marked the Wolfpack's only ranked win of the season, as the team came up short in seven other chances.

Now, the Pack is trying to right some of the wrongs from ACC play and finish the season with a run through March Madness. To get that process started, coach Wes Moore needs a lot from his starting five, which should be the usual suspects barring any major shifts to throw a wrench in Tennessee's plans in terms of scouting.

The Starting Five

Sophomore guard Zam Jones

In her second season with the Wolfpack, Zam Jones took major steps as a player, both bumping up her scoring totals and assist numbers. She enters the Tennessee matchup averaging 14.3 points and 3.7 assists. Jones often proves herself to be the team's most consistent and confident shooter from beyond the arc, knocking 3-pointers at a 36.7% clip.

Junior guard Zoe Brooks

A strong performance from Zoe Brooks could push the Wolfpack over the top against the Volunteers. There is no player with more NCAA Tournament experience on the NC State roster than Brooks, who was a freshman during her team's run to the Final Four two seasons ago. She's grown considerably over the course of her junior season after being thrust into a much larger role.

Brooks comes into the matchup as the Wolfpack's second-leading scorer, averaging 16.3 points per game. She tallied a double-double in the season-opening win over the Volunteers and hopes to improve her scoring output (13 points) from that performance on Friday.

Junior guard Qadence Samuels

Qadence Samuels transferred to NC State from UConn in hopes of a starting spot and a larger role. While she's been a consistent member of the starting five, Moore tried some different things with her coming off the bench throughout the season, but her defense and rebounding make her too valuable to keep off the court, at least to start.

Moore hoped for a strong season of 3-point shooting from Samuels, but her struggles started early and remained fairly consistent all year long. She made just one field goal in the season-opener against the Vols and enters the rematch knocking down triples at a 28.4% clip.

Junior forward Khamil Pierre

There shouldn't be a more confident member of the Wolfpack heading into Friday's matchup than Khamil Pierre. The Vanderbilt transfer has heaps of experience against the Volunteers and began her All-American Honorable Mention season with a strong performance back in November.

Pierre has been far and away the most consistent producer for the Wolfpack on the offensive end, racking up double-doubles with great frequency. She enters the NCAA Tournament averaging a double-double with 16.8 points and 12 rebounds.

Sophomore forward / center Tilda Trygger

Tilda Trygger came up clutch in November, scoring 19 points while missing just five of her 13 shots in the win over Tennessee. The 6-foot-6 forward struggled with consistency down the stretch and disappeared in some of the Wolfpack's more high-profile matchups, including a scoreless effort in the quarterfinal loss to Notre Dame in the ACC Tournament.

Getting Trygger going early against the relentless pressure of Tennessee should be a priority for the Wolfpack. She comes into the game averaging 10.9 points and 7.7 rebounds.