What NC State's Win Over Miami Means for ACC Campaign
In this story:
RALEIGH — NC State women's basketball went on the road and took care of business in its ACC conference opener, throttling Miami 87-61. After playing one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the sport, head coach Wes Moore learned a lot about his team, mainly areas where the Wolfpack needed to grow. And grow fast.
The win over the Hurricanes on Sunday offered some positive signs of that improvement starting to take place for NC State. It took longer than the coach likely wanted it to, but the fact that the Wolfpack went on the road and took care of a conference foe with such ease offers tremendous promise for the rest of the ACC season.
A scoring hierarchy is becoming clearer
Entering the season, there were numerous questions about the youthful Wolfpack squad being able to replace the scoring of players like Saniya Rivers, Aziaha James and Madison Hayes. Moore brought back guard Zoe Brooks, who finished third in scoring on the 2024-25 roster, but she typically drew the third best defender from the opposition.
Creating a stable offense was going to be a major challenge for the Pack. It proved to be painful in key moments, as NC State went on major scoring droughts in key games against USC, TCU and Oklahoma. However, the win over Miami offered some more clarity on the leaders of the Pack. Vanderbilt transfer Khamil Pierre tallied her seventh double-double and bumped her scoring average to 14.6 points.
Pierre's offense isn't always pretty, as she operates heavily in isolation situations, something which frustrated Moore during the early stages of the season. However, things looked prettier against Miami. As for guard play, Brooks still poses a threat offensively, averaging 14.2 points through the first 11 games.
The development of sophomore guard Zam Jones and her offensive ability might be the key to unlocking a strong season for NC State. The jittery, quick guard averaged 13.7 points in her 11 starts and looked like a great second option for Brooks in the backcourt. Jones showed she can take over games with her shooting, particularly in the win over the Hurricanes. With that trio firing on all cylinders and sophomore forward Tilda Trygger chiming in with her post presence, the offense should improve.
Bench production needs to improve
Moore tinkered with the starting five over the final two weeks of non-conference play as his team dealt with an illness. He appeared to land on sophomore guard Devyn Quigley as the fifth starter, moving UConn transfer Qadence Samuels to the bench. Finding more production from that unit is critical for the Pack as it embarks on the ACC journey.
Freshman guard Destiny Lunan could be one answer, as her athleticism and smooth shooting stroke look like those of a more experienced player. She tallied double-digit points in three games already, including the win over Miami. If Moore can keep her improvement going and add in some additional production from Samuels and junior forward Maddie Cox, the Wolfpack could be in for a nice run through ACC play.
Want more NC State basketball content throughout the year? Follow @WolfpackOnSI and @SennettTucker on X (Twitter) and never miss another breaking news story again.
Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
Follow SennettTucker