Coming off a loss to Wake Forest last Sunday that ended the Wolfpack’s four-game winning streak, the NC State women’s basketball team will look to close out the season strong and improve its NCAA Tournament stock in the last two games of conference play.
The Wolfpack (20-7, 10-4 ACC) will take on UNC-Chapel Hill (14-13, 3-11 ACC) in Raleigh Thursday for senior night and then heads to Charlottesville, Virginia to take on the University of Virginia (18-9, 7-7 ACC) Sunday in the last conference game of the season for State.
Against Wake Forest, the Pack struggled immensely from beyond the arc, connecting on just two 3-pointers in 15 total attempts. In contrast, the Demon Deacons went 8 of 13 from 3-point range, which proved to be a difference maker in the game.
Despite the result, the Wolfpack remains in good standing for the NCAA Tournament. The Wolfpack was projected as a four-seed by the committee back on Feb. 6, and although the team is no longer projected that high, it is virtually a lock for a ticket to the tourney regardless of how the team finishes the season.
That being said, the team could slightly improve its resume with a strong finish to the season. In Thursday’s matchup, the Pack will look to reverse its fortune against the Tar Heels. NC State fell to UNC in Chapel Hill earlier in the season, 83-70. State will need to avoid the season sweep to hold its place as a possible top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Fortunately for the Pack, senior guard Miah Spencer is coming off one of her best games of the season, scoring 25 points on 50 percent shooting while also grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out five assists. Spencer is averaging 12.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game thus far. How far the team makes it in postseason play is highly dependent upon her performance.
NC State has another veteran presence in redshirt senior Dominique Wilson, who is averaging a team-high 12.9 points per game and shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc.
The Wolfpack will then travel to Charlottesville to take on Virginia to close out its conference slate. The two teams have yet to play each other this season, but NC State looks to have the upper hand in the matchup. The Cavaliers have an impressive win over No. 4 Florida State and two wins over Virginia Tech, a team that climbed to No. 15 in the polls earlier in the season. The team is also coming off three straight wins and finds itself back on the bubble, and it will be no easy task for NC State to go on the road and come away with a victory over a team fighting for a ticket to the dance.
A win over Virginia would keep State in the upper half of the ACC standings, where the team has resided for most of the season. For the Cavaliers, a win would most likely move the needle and put the team in the field of 64.
The regular season finale against UNC-Chapel Hill will take place at Reynolds Coliseum Thursday at 7 p.m. as the team honors its seniors in their final home game. Sunday’s game against Virginia will take place in Charlottesville at 3 p.m. and will be broadcasted on ACC Network Extra.
