Wes Moore Provides Update on Key NC State Guard

While NC State women's basketball secured a 76-71 victory over Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, it lost a key player for almost half of the game and potentially longer. Junior guard Zoe Brooks went up for a shot in the third quarter through traffic and ended up injuring her ankle and leaving for the remainder of her team's win.

Head coach Wes Moore didn't offer a long update following Friday's game, essentially stating that only time would tell how Brooks would respond to the injury. However, the Wolfpack's veteran coach provided more information on his junior guard during Saturday's media availability in Ann Arbor, Mich., as the Pack prepares for a second-round matchup against No. 2 seed Michigan.

The Brooks update

Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Zoe Brooks (35) calls for a time out against the Southern California Trojans during the fourth quarter of the Ally Tipoff game at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

Brooks was officially listed as questionable in the NCAA's official availability report released on Saturday. The fact that NC State listed her as such indicates she may sit out the second round game against the Wolverines, but it would take enormous willpower for her to play through the injury. Moore didn't rule it out when he spoke about his guard.

"Hard to say at this point," he began. "Obviously, our medical people, we're fortunate to have a couple of doctors with us and our athletic trainer, so they do a great job. Obviously, the first priority is going to be her health and making sure she's not at risk as far as her future goes. But some of it may come down to just how she feels tomorrow. She won't be practicing today. Taking all precautions with a boot, crutches, trying to keep weight off it."

In Brooks' absence, the Wolfpack turned to freshman guard Destiny "Ky'She" Lunan for extended minutes during the first-round victory. The young backcourt member helped take some of the stress off of sophomore guard Zamareya Jones and handled the point guard duties well when she needed to. Moore would still like to have Brooks if possible.

"I've got a lot of confidence in (Lunan) and I think the other players do as well," Moore said. "That helps. 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."

NC State coach Wes Moore gestures 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

Should Moore and the Wolfpack find a way to upset the Wolverines on their homecourt with or without Brooks, it would mark a third-straight trip to the Sweet 16 for the program. NC State will need to wait and see how its junior guard feels in the morning, as Brooks could be a true game-time decision for the team's 1 P.M. bout with Michigan.