CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NC State women’s basketball is accustomed to being hunted by the rest of the ACC under head coach Wes Moore. Three straight ACC Championships from 2020 to 2022 and multiple deep NCAA tournament runs cemented NC State as one of the top programs in college basketball.
However, a challenging 2022-23 season had many wondering if the Wolfpack’s run of dominance was coming to an end. Moore believes last season was an anomaly and is ready to turn the page with his new squad.
“This will be my 35th year as a college head coach and last year was probably the most challenging,” Moore said. “That’s why we’re excited about this year and seeing if we can get back on track.”
Moore will have to manage another massive roster turnover that includes six freshmen and two transfers. He feels that the mix of veterans and newcomers will work to the team’s advantage.
“We’ve got a great core of veterans that give us great leadership,” Moore said. “Then we got some fresh faces, new faces, to add that energy and enthusiasm.”
In order for this new group of players to live up to expectations, they will have to do the little things right. Moore used the analogy of a McDonald’s french fry to explain how he wants his team to play.
“Every night no matter where we are, where we’re playing and where we walk in, you know what you’re gonna get,” Moore said. “You’re going to get a team that’s mentally and physically tough. You’re going to get a team that competes and plays with urgency. I want us to be hot and salty, just like those fries.”
Just like McDonald’s fries, Moore wants his team to be more consistent because he feels like that was the issue with last year’s team. The Pack took down teams like national championship runner-up Iowa but lost to a below-.500 Boston College team at home.
“Last year was a roller coaster,” Moore said. “Definitely want to find more consistency this year… have that urgency, energy night in and night out.”
With NIL and the transfer portal, it has become more challenging for teams to build chemistry in college basketball. Some players are more worried about their individual game so they can make money off the court, and other players are joining and departing from the program at a rapid pace due to the portal. These distractions present a challenge for coaches, and it’s their job to keep the focus on the team.
“You got the portal, NIL, all these things pulling at you from an individual standpoint,” Moore said. “So I think that’s the biggest thing, is not caring so much who gets the attention, who gets the credit, concentrate more on we and us. That’s going to help us get where we want to get.”
NC State won’t get much time to test its on-court chemistry before its first real test against No. 2 UConn at Reynolds Coliseum in the second game of the regular season.
“First week of the year, you jump right into the fire with UConn,” Moore said. “It’s just a big game for our fans and also to finally get Connecticut down in North Carolina for a change.”
Maintaining fire and intensity can be a challenge for head coaches who have been around the game for a long time, but that has not been a problem for Moore. Wolfpack fans should expect the women’s basketball team to return to its winning ways given Moore is still as motivated as ever.
“I’m very competitive. I got a fire in my belly,” Moore said. “I want our players to have that same intensity and everything every day. I have it every day … When I go to the gym for practice, when they have the energy, when they’re upbeat, I feed off of that, too.”
Despite another year with a roster overhaul, NC State women’s basketball is confident it can return to its dominant form. With a head coach who’s determined to win and a roster that blends youth and experience, the Wolfpack is one of the most formidable teams in the ACC.
