The N.C. State women’s basketball team will embark on a trip to face the No. 13 North Carolina Tar Heels in Chapel Hill Thursday. It is fresh off winning its second game against a top-25 opponent Sunday at home versus Syracuse, who was then ranked 20th.
The Wolfpack enters the contest in Carmichael Arena against its bitter rivals with a 14-1 record and are No. 20 in the latest AP poll. It is the first time State has been ranked since the end of the regular season in 2007. Thursday’s matchup marks the first time both teams have entered the game nationally ranked in a regular season game since February 2, 2006.
“I would imagine it will be a good turnout,” head coach Wes Moore said. “They [UNC]are obviously ranked very high. I am sure they have got some excitement going on over there, and I feel like we do. Two ranked teams; that is nice.”
In Moore’s first season in charge, the Wolfpack continued to be led by senior center Markeisha Gatling. The Raleigh native averages 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest. Her 70.1 percent field goal percentage is tops in the NCAA. In State’s victory over Syracuse on Sunday, Gatling had 14 points and a career-best 15 rebounds.
Two-time Academic All-American senior forward Kody Burke is also chipping in with 14.3 points and 5.3 per game. State has six players averaging more than eight points a game.
Against the Tar Heels, N.C. State will be facing a talented but young team. North Carolina has no seniors on its squad, and nine out of the 13 players on the team are either sophomores or freshmen. While the Heels are coming off a loss to No. 8 Maryland at home in its ACC opener, UNC has surprised some onlookers with its start and Moore is wary of their ability.
“They are long, and they are athletic,” Moore said. “A lot of teams have players that are more one-dimensional. A lot of these players are capable of beating you more than one way. It is a little bit tougher matchup trying to decide what you want to take away.”
UNC has four players who are averaging double figures in scoring and are led by freshman guard Diamond DeShields, the daughter of former Major League Baseball player Delino DeShields. The native of Norcross, Ga. accounts for 14.9 points and 4.7 assists per contest despite only playing 22 minutes per game.
“Obviously, DeShields is familiar to me being from (near) Atlanta,” Moore said. “Four freshmen and a sophomore are starting. That is a pretty talented class. We are not going to beat them one-on-one. Hopefully playing five-on-five, we can keep it competitive.”
The Tar Heels will be led into battle by interim head coach Andrew Calder, who is filling in for head coach Sylvia Hatchell, while she undergoes radiation treatment for leukemia. Hatchell and Moore both coached at Francis Marion (Division II in Tennessee) early in their career.
“We [ACC coaches] had a conference call and she [Hatchell] was in on it,” Moore said. “She sounded good. We are all anxious for her to come back.”
The tip-off is set for 6 p.m. in the 97th meeting of the old foes. N.C. State leads the series 51-45.
