NC State women’s basketball has gone through its toughest three-game stretch of the year with games at No. 22 Florida State, No. 18 Syracuse and at home against No. 5 Notre Dame. The Wolfpack went 1-2 in that stretch with a close loss to Florida State, an impressive win in the Carrier Dome and a blowout loss to a great Notre Dame squad.

Here’s what we have learned from this stretch:

Down four key players, the Wolfpack still competes

What head coach Wes Moore is doing with this team may be the most impressive coaching job NC State University Athletics has seen in decades. NC State has lost junior forward Erika Cassell, redshirt junior guard Grace Hunter, redshirt senior guard Armani Hawkins and graduate guard Kaila Ealey to knee injuries, but the Wolfpack is still clearly one of the top-15 teams in the country. Despite having a shooting guard playing the point, a horrid turnover margin and a short bench, this team can still stand and trade with the best. What other NC State coach has done that?

Look what happened to the men’s team when junior Markell Johnson went down, or the football team without Germaine Pratt and Kelvin Harmon in the Gator Bowl. Though injuries may spoil a championship run, this has been a special season and Moore deserves to win ACC Coach of the Year for the job he’s doing.

Moore has to lean on what’s left of his bench

NC State was tight with Notre Dame through two quarters, even drawing to within one point after a Notre Dame run, but as the game turned into a track meet, the Wolfpack couldn’t keep up. Giving up 37 points in transition as a result of not getting back is unacceptable, but who can blame the team when only six players receive double-digit minutes of playing time?

Freshman Elissa Cunane appeared to be especially fatigued as time went on, and though she’s an essential part of the offense, she needs more time to rest. Freshman forwards Esra McGoldrick and Jada Rice have to see the court more if the NC State is going to remain relatively fresh down the stretch and stay in games with the best teams in the country.

Kiara Leslie and Elissa Cunane make a fearsome duo

Since Cunane has slid into a starting role, she has dominated her competition, averaging 25 points a game along with just under nine rebounds per game. Graduate guard Leslie has stepped her game up as well, averaging 19 points and just under six rebounds a contest. The two are like Batman and Robin, but even LeBron James and Dwyane Wade needed Chris Bosh. The Wolfpack is still searching for someone to fill Hunter’s do-everything, gritty role.

A strong candidate is senior forward DD Rogers, who has come alive as of late. Rogers has been a tenacious rebounder for the Wolfpack, but now she’s added scoring. When the offense stagnates, Rogers is able to force the issue and get to the basket.

Going forward, the offense needs her to be the third option: The reliable change-of-pace player. It’s been “next woman up” all year long for NC State, and if players can continue to rise to the occasion this Wolfpack squad can make some noise come March.