For the first time in 32 years, the No. 2 NC State women’s basketball team is the ACC regular-season champion.
After having accomplished one of its three goals laid out by graduate forward Kayla Jones after the title-clinching win over Syracuse, the Wolfpack’s eyes are set on the ACC Tournament, which will take place from Wednesday, March 2 to Sunday, March 6. NC State plays its first game on Friday, March 4 at 2 p.m.
Looking at the tournament itself, NC State will be a No. 1 seed for the sixth time in school history, followed by the second-seeded Louisville Cardinals, third-seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish and fourth-seeded UNC Tar Heels.
The Wolfpack’s first opponent will be the winner of Thursday’s Boston College/Florida State game. Of the two, Florida State is the much more favorable opponent, with the Wolfpack knocking off the Seminoles by 20 points at home in early February.
In that game, the Pack got out to a dominant first quarter and despite scoring just nine points in the second quarter, was propelled by a scorching 47.8% clip from deep to put the finishing touches on the blowout.
However, Boston College is the early favorite in that game, being the No. 8 seed compared to Florida State’s No. 9 standing. The Wolfpack fared much worse against the Eagles, going to overtime in mid-February after falling behind 13-2 early.
Boston College guard Cameron Swartz went off in that game, scoring 24 points on 10 of 19 shooting and hitting 4 of 7 3-pointers. The Eagles also got a strong performance from Taylor Soule, who contributed a double-double, notching 16 points and 10 boards.
It was sophomore guard Diamond Johnson who came to the rescue in that game, who had 22 points and eight rebounds. Jones had 17 points while graduate guards Kai Crutchfield and Raina Perez, along with senior center Elissa Cunane, had 37 points combined.
NC State last played Boston College and Florida State in the ACC Tournament two years ago en route to its first ACC Championship since 1991. The Wolfpack scored 153 points in those two wins combined, beating the Eagles in the semifinal and Florida State in the championship game.
If the Wolfpack is able to win that game, it will have four possible opponents for the semifinal game, which takes place at noon on Saturday, March 5: UNC, Virginia Tech, Syracuse or Clemson.
In the unlikely event No. 12-seeded Syracuse or No. 13-seeded Clemson is able to make it to the semifinal game, the Wolfpack should feel secure, considering its combined margin of victory of 69 points over those two teams this season.
However, UNC and Virginia Tech would both provide much more of a challenge. The Wolfpack did run North Carolina out of its “small gym” in early January, but the Tar Heels punched back in the rematch later in January.
In that game, the Wolfpack trailed by as many as 12 points but went on a 21-2 run in the second half to go on to the eight-point victory. The Tar Heels cut the game to just five points late in the second half, but Crutchfield put up a clutch 3 in the last moments of the game, giving the Pack the win.
The Wolfpack also took on Virginia Tech twice in the regular season, winning narrowly both times. In the first game, Cunane and ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley put on a defensive clinic, shooting a combined 5 of 29 (17.2%) from the floor matched up against each other.
In the second game, the Pack’s season finale, the exact opposite happened. The two childhood friends from Summerfield, North Carolina, with the two shooting 15 of 23 (65.2%) from the floor combined. Watching those two play is always a treat for the Wolfpack faithful, with two of the best ACC products clashing in the paint and another great player contributing for the Hokies in Aisha Sheppard.
The two teams also have a history in the ACC Tournament in recent years. Last season, NC State took down Virginia Tech in its opening matchup, 68-55. That game saw 47 points combined from Cunane and Kitley.
If the Wolfpack proceeds to its third ACC Championship game in three seasons, which takes place on Sunday, March 6 at noon, its most likely opponents are No. 7-seeded Miami, No. 6 Georgia Tech, No. 3 Notre Dame or No. 2 Louisville.
All four teams would provide an adequate challenge for the Pack. The Wolfpack beat Miami by 12 on the road earlier this season, but the Hurricanes always seem to pose a threat for the Wolfpack. NC State also dispatched Georgia Tech in the Play4Kay game this season, blowing the Yellow Jackets out. The Wolfpack beat Georgia Tech in each of the last two ACC Tournaments.
However, Notre Dame and Louisville are likelier opponents in a potential championship matchup. The Fighting Irish handed the Wolfpack its only ACC loss this season, with the Pack shooting just under 40% from the field and 25% from deep. Maya Dodson dominated in that game, putting up 20 points, 10 rebounds and three steals.
The Wolfpack did come close to a great comeback in that game but fell just short. Cunane only got five shots in that loss.
But if Notre Dame makes a semifinal game against Louisville, it will face a stiff test, seeing as Louisville beat Notre Dame 73-47 and then 86-64 in their two matchups this season. In the second game, Louisville led 48-6 at midway through the second quarter.
Despite what would pose as a daunting matchup in a potential championship game between Louisville and NC State, the Wolfpack did get the better of the Cardinals in each of their last two matchups.
In the regular season, the Wolfpack had one of the wildest comebacks of the NCAA season, coming back from 16 points down and taking just over three minutes to take the lead against the Cardinals. NC State had a 31-point fourth quarter in the win behind heroics from Johnson and junior wing Jakia Brown-Turner.
NC State also took down Louisville in the ACC Championship game last season, going back-to-back. In that game, Perez hit one of the most clutch shots in school history, clinching the Wolfpack win.
Regardless of the route it takes, the Wolfpack will face a strenuous gauntlet of teams, kicking off play at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 4. That game can be viewed on Raleigh’s Regional Sports Network.
