Where Things Stand for Wolfpack Women's Basketball in Week 14

RALEIGH — After a grinding start to the ACC season and a three-game week, NC State women's basketball hit a bit of a lull in the schedule after dominating Virginia Tech on Sunday. The Wolfpack won't play again until Feb. 15, when it hits the road to face Notre Dame.

The break came at a good time, as coach Wes Moore's group looked tired at different points over the last week, but still responded from a gutting loss to then 25th-ranked UNC by beating Florida State and the Hokies. Now, the Pack can evaluate where it stands in the ACC and begin to plot a final push into the conference tournament by the time the calendar flips to March.

Stars getting a break at the right time

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

There might not be a set of stars that works harder than NC State's core four, a group that plays the majority of the 40 minutes in each game. Of 2,080 possible minutes since the start of conference play, the combination of Zoe Brooks, Khamil Pierre, Zam Jones and Tilda Trygger has played 1,596 of those minutes. That includes a missed game for Trygger.

While sophomore center Lorena Awou didn't appear to be a major part of the rotation before she was suspended and left the team permanently, her exit took a toll on a team already struggling with depth issues and youth. Moore rarely goes beyond eight players in the rotation regularly, sometimes even sticking with as few as seven.

Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack forward Tilda Trygger (18) looks to the basket against the Southern California Trojans during the second quarter of the Ally Tipoff game at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

The frontcourt is particularly affected by the lack of depth, with Pierre and Trygger often forced to play the majority of the game out of necessity. Luckily, both players are performing at a high level consistently enough for the Wolfpack to be in the mix, but it became clear in some of the tight games against top competition that they needed a break.

One last push through the ACC?

Mar 27, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Wes Moore talks with media during an NCAA Tournament practice session at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

While the UNC loss stung, it didn't greatly affect the Wolfpack's position in the conference standings. With a 10-3 record after 13 conference games, NC State sits in third place behind Duke, which is undefeated in ACC play, and 12-1 Louisville, which narrowly escaped Raleigh with a win. While it will be hard to make up ground on both teams, the Pack has its opportunities, including one against Duke soon.

A rested and regrouped NC State team could be in a prime position for one final run in the last few weeks of the season, potentially peaking at the ideal time ahead of the conference tournament. If the Wolfpack gets hot in Atlanta, hosting a round could be back on the table.

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