Wolfpack Set for Statement Game Against No. 9 Louisville
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RALEIGH — A handful of missed opportunities defined the early portion of NC State's season. Now, Wes Moore and the Wolfpack (13-5, 6-1 ACC) are set to host No. 9 Louisville (17-3, 7-0 ACC) in the Reynolds Coliseum for a massive chance to put themselves back on the map from a national recognition standpoint.
The Pack responded to a disappointing road loss against Clemson with a pair of impressive, yet different victories over SMU and Wake Forest in the next pair of games. The Cardinals mark a distinct step up in competition, however, coming in as one of the hottest teams in the nation. Can Moore channel some home court magic?
The challenges Louisville poses for NC State
After a relatively down 2024-25 season, the Cardinals appear to be back with a vengeance after a stellar start to ACC play. Head coach Jeff Walz has the team on a 10-game win streak stretching back before the New Year and the start of the conference season. The start has been somewhat surprising, as the Cardinals were picked to finish fourth in the ACC preseason media poll.
The Cardinals come at opponents with tremendous strength in depth. Eight different players average more than six points per game, with sophomore guard Tajianna Roberts leading the way with a 12.7 point average. The team scores the second-most in the conference, averaging 82.7 points per game. The Wolfpack averages 77.4 points, coming in at fourth in the ACC.
Louisville has six players 6-foot-2 or taller on the roster, with the tallest being a pair of 6-foot-4 forwards. The size of the Cardinals makes them one of the conference's best rebounding teams, but NC State has been the top team on the glass in the ACC. Laura Ziegler leads the Cardinals on the glass, hauling in 7.5 rebounds per game to go along with her 10.7 points.
The Wolfpack could be in trouble when it comes to 3-point shooting. Louisville enters the matchup as the second-best perimeter shooting team in the conference, knocking down threes at a 35.1% clip.
The NC State perspective
The Wolfpack should be back at full strength for the important ACC matchup. Sophomore guard Zamareya Jones returned for the last two games after suffering an ankle injury against Cal, playing some of her best basketball to date. She will be critical to any success the Wolfpack seeks to have in Sunday's bout.
Tilda Trygger, the team's star sophomore forward, has been on a tear in the frontcourt alongside Wooden Award candidate Khamil Pierre over the last two weeks. If that pair can continue to score and dominate inside, the Wolfpack should be able to control and counter and paint prowess from Ziegler and the Cardinals.
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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.
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