CHARLOTTE, N.C., — When it was announced that graduate forward Caitlin Weimar would be out indefinitely due to hip surgery a few weeks before the season, it was clear that it would take time for NC State women’s basketball to figure out its lineup.
After losing Mimi Collins and River Baldwin, who combined for 21.2 points per game and 13.1 rebounds per game, Weimar was supposed to help fill the void as she transferred in from Boston University, where she won both the Patriot League Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
It would allow head coach Wes Moore to play his four most trusted guards with an experienced big anchoring the paint, but that plan had to be ditched before the season even started. Moore was forced to play talented but inexperienced bigs right out of the gate.
Moore even admitted at the ACC Tipoff that he felt his team’s preseason ranking of No. 9 was too high because of the question marks in the front court.
“I think everyone looks at our guards, especially [senior guards Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers] and think, ‘Oh, wow, NC State is going to be really, really good,’” Moore said. “But we lost two really good players in River Baldwin and Mimi Collins, who are both playing overseas in Europe now professionally. Those are going to be big shoes to fill.”
It’s not that NC State lacks the players in the frontcourt. The Wolfpack has four players that stand six-foot-three or taller, they just all lack playing experience at the collegiate level. Sophomore center Mallory Collier and graduate center Lizzy Williamson were on last year’s Final Four team but were in reserve roles. Tylda Trygger and Lorena Awou are highly touted prospects but are freshmen.
With that, the early part of the season would be a time for Moore to test out lineups and see what big would fit the best with NC State’s guards. The problem was that the Wolfpack was set to face reigning National Champions and No. 1 South Carolina in the second game of the season.
After the Gamecocks handled the Wolfpack 71-57 Sunday afternoon in the Ally Tipoff at Spectrum Center, Moore still feels like he hasn’t found an answer.
“I’m searching,” Moore said. “Last year we had a pretty well-set lineup, a set rotation. It was easy. Now I’m searching for that. I don’t know. Do we go small and quicker? Do we go big? Do we play four out, one in, which is what I traditionally play? Or do we try to get five guards out there and play five out? I’m searching, and I gotta find out in a hurry.”
While Moore feels like he hasn’t found out who to play in the frontcourt or to ditch playing a big altogether, it seemed like NC State had an answer against the Gamecocks. When Trygger was inserted into the lineup, the Wolfpack went on its two biggest runs of the game.
When the Pack went on an 11-0 run in the second quarter to take a lead, Trygger was playing with James, sophomore guard Zoe Brooks, graduate guard Madison Hayes and freshman guard Zamareya Jones. Her ability to spread the floor opened up the court for the rest of the guards to drive in the paint and score. James scored seven points of her 13 overall points during the run because the paint wasn’t clogged up by a post player.
When NC State cut a 20-point deficit to seven points in the fourth quarter, it was Trygger on the court with four guards again. Jones scored eight of her team-high 16 points in the fourth with Trygger opening up the floor for her.
The freshman forward finished the game with the highest plus/minus of any Wolfpack player who played 20 or more minutes. The moment didn’t look too big for her despite going up against the reigning national champions in her second collegiate game.
“She’s a little bit more mobile than a true five player,” Moore said. “She’s got a bright future. She can shoot it better than she shot it today. She’s got a good basketball IQ — gives us some length that can also step out and do some things on the perimeter.”
If Trygger can knock down 3’s at a consistent level as she did during the 2024 FIBA U20 European Championship with Sweden when she hit 14 3s in seven games, then all of a sudden Moore won’t have question marks in the frontcourt.
Even though her team won by double digits, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley was impressed by what she saw from NC State and doesn’t think the inexperience in the front court will hold the Pack back.
“Anytime you have great guards like they have, they’re going to give you a shot,” Staley said. “The bigs are going to get better. They just lack some experience. We’ve been there. Several of our bigs lack experience. They played a small lineup to get back in the game in the fourth quarter. So when their bigs get up to speed, they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.”
Despite Moore not feeling like he has found an answer with his lineup quite yet, it seems like when he goes back and watches the film he will know who to play in the starting lineup along with his quartet of guards.
