The NC State women’s basketball team (22-3, 9-3 ACC) looks to spring back from a 23-point loss to Notre Dame as they play host to Wake Forest Thursday night.
The Wolfpack has struggled as of late despite an amazing early run. After starting the season 21-0, the Pack has only won one of its last four games. NC State looked to have turned its luck around, ending its short two-game slide with a win over No. 16 Syracuse, but the Pack couldn’t keep up the pace against an outstanding Notre Dame team.
The Wolfpack managed to keep the score close and tied it at one point in the third quarter, but a 12-0 run response by Notre Dame signaled the end for the Pack as the Fighting Irish’s offense pulled away.
One of the biggest problems for the Wolfpack has been the absence of four of its key players. Junior forward Erika Cassell, redshirt junior guard Grace Hunter, redshirt senior guard Armani Hawkins and graduate guard Kaila Ealey have all been sidelined with knee injuries and the burden has fallen onto the remaining players to bear, leaving a shortened bench.
Despite the absences, the Wolfpack has remained high in the rankings, a testament to the players and head coach Wes Moore’s determination and perseverance.
Freshman center Elissa Cunane has shone coming in after the injury to Cassell. She is currently averaging 13.2 points a game on 21.7 average minutes of playing time and shooting at nearly 60 percent.
Wake Forest (10-15, 1-11 ACC) has lost five straight games and currently sits 14th in the ACC standings. This game should be an easy win for an NC State team looking to correct its trajectory after a few bumps in the road, but as every Wolfpack fan knows, Wake Forest isn’t a team you can count out.
The game will tip off at 7 p.m. on Thursday in Reynolds Coliseum.
Freshman center Elissa Cunane takes an inside shot against Notre Dame on Monday, Feb. 18, 2019 at Reynolds Coliseum. Cunane scored a game-high 28 points, going 7 of 7 from the free throw line in addition to grabbing six rebounds. The Wolfpack lost to the Fighting Irish 95-72.
