There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that NC State women’s basketball is good. With a 22-1 overall record, the Wolfpack should have no trouble punching its ticket into March Madness.
With an impressive No. 7 ranking, the Wolfpack stands as a powerhouse in the NCAA. Yes, NC State is good, but how good? Where does NC State stand compared to the top teams in the nation?
Top-ranked South Carolina has taken its claim to No. 2, with seven wins against ranked opponents, including a victory over Baylor, the No. 1 ranked team in women’s basketball. There is no doubt with such a strong schedule that South Carolina is deserving of a No. 1 seed going into March.
The same can be said for Baylor. With an abundance of strong wins, including a beatdown on then-fourth ranked powerhouse UConn, Baylor has punched its ticket into a top-seeded tournament spot.
Third in women’s basketball sits Oregon. Oregon is coming in hot after an 18-point win over the UConn Huskies, along with four more ranked wins.
So, who gets the next spot? UConn currently sits sixth thanks to a recent loss to Oregon. Who can fill its shoes? Could it be the Wolfpack?
Women’s basketball has always been different from every other sport; there is always a small group of dominant teams that no other team comes close to beating. Within the past eight NCAA tournaments, only four schools have claimed the national title: UConn, Baylor, Notre Dame and South Carolina. Compared to today’s rankings, two out of those four teams remain in the top four. Not much has changed.
Why not? Because every high school basketball player dreams of winning the national title. So it is much easier for UConn head coach Geno Auriemma to recruit players, holding four back-to-back national trophies in his hand. With this being said, the UConn Huskies will be welcoming the No. 1 recruit in the nation to their team in 2020.
Does the Wolfpack have a chance to break this hierarchy? Does any team have a chance? Of course. Talent comes in more shapes and sizes than just the No.1 ranked player in the nation, which the Wolfpack has shown with its impressive record and abundance of standout players.
How can NC State accomplish this?
It’s easier said than done. Undoubtedly, the Pack must finish its ACC play strong with all wins, but the biggest thing NC State can do to prove itself as a competitor for a top seed is to take down Louisville. Louisville sits currently at No. 4 in the nation, with a statement win against Oregon. Taking down Louisville would prove that the Pack can compete with other top-ranked teams, including Oregon. With recent losses to No. 17 Florida State and unranked Syracuse, Louisville now sits second in the ACC, behind the No. 1 Wolfpack. Now is the time for NC State to dominate its schedule and climb the national rankings.
Beating Louisville and locking down its spot atop the ACC will go a long way creating buzz and a spark. This is exactly the spark that NC State needs going into March, to punch its ticket into that top-seeded spot — maybe.
