GREENSBORO, N.C. — Back-to-back-to-back. For the third time in three years, the No. 3 NC State women’s basketball team won the ACC Tournament.

The Wolfpack (29-3, 17-1 ACC) closed the book on Miami’s (20-12, 10-8 ACC) Cinderella run in the 60-47 victory inside Greensboro Coliseum on Sunday, March 6, giving NC State its first three-peat in the ACC Tournament in school history.

“These young ladies have been unbelievable,” said head coach Wes Moore. “I always said when I got to this level, I wanted to win with high-character individuals, and it’s just been such a great journey. I mean, in the last few years, what a legacy these folks are leaving. Three straight tournament titles, regular season championship. That’s not easy to do, especially in this league that is so talented, so many great coaches.”

When asked if this was a dynasty, Moore simply shook his head.

“No. One year at a time, baby. One year at a time,” Moore said.

For the second straight year, senior center Elissa Cunane won Tournament MVP honors, posting totals of 52 points and 27 rebounds in the Pack’s three tournament games.

“It’s huge,” Cunane said. “It’s the reason why I came to NC State, why I wanted to play for Coach Moore because I saw a potential in this program, and to be able to take it to new heights and do it with everyone like the seniors that stayed, everyone that’s come in, it’s a program win.”

Though Cunane went down with an injury in the third, she later returned and ended the game with 17 points and eight rebounds, powering the Wolfpack to its three-peat. Cunane has a way of dominating when the lights are on in Greensboro, finishing her NC State career averaging 19 points in ACC Tournament games.

“It goes beyond the team, like athletic trainers, nutritionists, all that,” Cunane said. “To be able to come in and NC State as a whole, as a program, we all won this championship, and for three years it’s been pretty amazing. I think it speaks highly of who we have in charge at coach and then just who we have as part of the program in general.”

Outside of Cunane, junior wing Jakia Brown-Turner was named to the All-Tournament Second Team while junior forward Jada Boyd earned All-Tournament First Team honors alongside Cunane.

Graduate guard Raina Perez, like Cunane, had yet another huge ACC Championship game, finishing the contest with 12 points and hitting several clutch shots along the way. After the Wolfpack didn’t hit a field goal for eight minutes of play, it was Perez who once again iced the game.

“It means a lot,” Perez said. “I did come here to play these big games and to win these big games and to win championships, and that’s what we’ve been doing. So it just means so much because coming from mid-majors, you don’t ever think you’re going to get to the next level and then I get to the next level and then we win, so it’s been great.”

While Miami’s great ACC Tournament run was powered by multiple individuals, NC State once again proved its depth was unmatched.

Graduate forward Kayla Jones racked up 10 boards, two blocks and a steal. Sophomore guard Diamond Johnson contributed 11 points, three assists and three steals. Graduate guard Kai Crutchfield, junior center Camille Hobby, Brown-Turner and Boyd all had their respective moments. It was the ultimate team performance.

The Pack got off to a slow start with the Hurricanes playing high-energy, suffocating defense and consistently doubling in the paint. Miami switched well, cut off interior passes and provided sufficient interior defense on Cunane.

Ja’Leah Williams, in particular, flew off the page as an elite defender and Miami as a whole pressed early and often, creating disruption reflected by the Wolfpack’s shooting numbers.

In the first quarter, the two teams combined for just 26 points on 32% shooting, with Williams, Brown-Turner and Crutchfield playing electrifying defense.

The first period’s gritty defense saw the two teams routinely trade blows. That changed in the second quarter. In the first, NC State led Miami for just 4:48, a number that exploded to 13:34 at the half.

After the 14-12 deadlock in the first, the Pack was able to open things up in the second behind a nine-point Cunane quarter. Cunane ended the half with 11 points and seven rebounds.

Perez, who had a clutch game-winner in last year’s championship game, ended the half with a massive 3 to put the Pack up nine, its largest of the day and one it continued to build on in the third.

NC State exploded offensively in the third after shooting just 33.3% in the first half. Despite Cunane going down midway through the third, NC State shot 50% in the third and got a balanced attack from its rotation, with six different players scoring for the Pack. 

Comparatively, the Pack held the Hurricanes to just 10 points in the third on 21.4% shooting from the field, a disparity that allowed the Wolfpack to take a stranglehold of the contest.

After it looked like the Wolfpack put the game away at the beginning of the fourth, the Hurricanes continued to hustle and grind their way back into the contest. However, it was too little, too late, as Miami’s respectable tournament run that saw victories over both No. 4 Louisville and No. 20 Notre Dame, came to an end.

The three-peat puts a close on Cunane, Perez, Crutchfield and Jones’ storybook ACC Tournaments.

“Couldn’t be happier for them, though,” Moore said. “That’s why they came back, the fifth-year kids, was to try to rewrite the final chapter. This isn’t the final chapter, but it’s a pretty nice chapter to go out.”

In a year defined by legacies, the 2022 iteration of the Wolfpack may leave one of the longest-lasting.

“I’m looking forward to 10 years from now when they’re coming in for the 10-year anniversary of the championship, maybe I’ll still be able to walk out there, I’m looking forward to them being able to do that,” Moore said. “What a legacy. … Raina, it kills me that I only got to coach her for two years, work with her for two years. What a kid, man. … Unbelievable players and people. You couldn’t ask for a better life.”

Next up, the Wolfpack sets its sights toward the NCAA Tournament. The 2022 NCAA Tournament bracket will be revealed during the Selection Show, which will take place on Sunday, March 13 at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

“Greensboro has been unbelievable,” Moore said. “I’m trying to see if we can be maybe a No. 2 seed and get sent to Greensboro. We’ll see if we can talk to the committee about that.”