What's at Stake For NC State Women's Basketball This Week?

RALEIGH — After sweeping the Bay Area ACC schools in the first week of 2026, NC State women's basketball has another week to potentially gain some ground in the conference standings, but will have to do so on the road in one of them. Wes Moore and the Wolfpack face two opponents below them in the leaderboard.

First, the Pack (11-4, 4-0 ACC) will make the short trip to Littlejohn Coliseum to face the Clemson Tigers (11-5, 2-2 ACC) on Thursday. Then, NC State returns to the friendly confines of Reynolds Coliseum to host SMU for the Sunday bout to wrap up the week.

Creating separation in the standings

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

After the grueling non-conference schedule, Moore's group has settled into league play nicely, winning its first four games fairly comfortably. Three other teams joined NC State at the top of the ACC standings: No. 10 Louisville, Virginia and Duke. The Pack's lighter week might help the team maneuver in front of some of those teams.

Duke has a grueling road trip out west to face Stanford and Cal. Virginia faces a two-loss Syracuse team over the weekend. Louisville, the best of that bunch, has a road trip to Miami followed by a home tilt against Pittsburgh. While the odds of the Cardinals picking up a loss are fairly low, it wouldn't be surprising for the other two teams to fall for the first time in league play, which would obviously help NC State create some cushion.

Proving itself shorthanded

Zam Jone — Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Zamareya Jones (3) drives to the basket against the Southern California Trojans during the first quarter of the Ally Tipoff game at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

Moore already works with a thinner rotation than many other programs around the country, but that depth took a major hit during the win over Cal. Starting guard Zam Jones left the game in the final minute with an apparent lower leg injury that the coach suspected was her ankle during his postgame press conference. The Wolfpack outlasted the Golden Bears without Tilda Trygger, who sat while battling an illness.

Jones has been one of the steadiest members of the team through the first 15 games, averaging 13.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Her ability to shoot the three and attack off the bounce with speed helped her complement Zoe Brooks incredibly well throughout the start of the season. While her availability remains uncertain, NC State likely prepared for Clemson, anticipating she won't be back for that game.

After the Cal game, Moore expressed his frustration in having missed key opportunities in the non-conference slate. A pair of wins to start conference play 6-0 might get the Wolfpack back in the AP Top 25 and the national conversation as one of the best teams in the ACC.

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