NC State continues rise in AP Top 25 after claiming top seed in ACC Tournament
Through the first seven games of the season, NC State appeared to be a team that struggled against the nation’s top competition. The Wolfpack sat 4-3 with losses to then-No. 1 South Carolina, TCU and then-No. 7 LSU.
The Pack seemed to be just a step behind the country’s elite teams. But that didn’t stop NC State. Instead, it eventually figured out how to play with one another, including the development of freshman post Tilda Trygger. That led the Wolfpack to win 20 of its next 22 games to surge through the rest of its schedule.
Now, after claiming the top seed in the ACC Tournament with its win at SMU on Sunday afternoon, NC State checked in at No. 7 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 — its highest ranking of the season.
For Wolfpack coach Wes Moore, watching his team rally after a rocky start to the year, has been something he was proud to see.
Top 10
- 1New
Top 25 Shakeup
Big changes in AP Poll
- 2
Neal Brown
Texas targeting former WVU HC
- 3
Women's Hoops Poll
AP Top 25 sees movement
- 4
FSU, Clemson settlement
ACC future taking shape
- 5Hot
Baseball Top 25
New No. 1 team in country
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
“We had a really challenging schedule early in the year,” Moore said on the Wolfpack Radio Network postgame show after the victory at SMU. “I’m proud of them. A lot of teams could got down right there and it could have snowballed on you a little bit. But they came back, won some big games and got momentum.”
NC State owns five top-25 wins this season with six Quad 1 victories in the process. The Wolfpack beat then-No. 18 Ole Miss to kick off its torrid stretch, while it also edged then-No. 10 Duke, then-No. 22 Florida State, then-No. 20 Georgia Tech and then-No. 1 Notre Dame to make itself a national contender going into the postseason.
The Pack has a double bye in the ACC Tournament and it will play the winner of eighth-seeded Virginia Tech/ninth-seeded Georgia Tech on Friday afternoon (1:30 p.m., ACC Network) at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro.
Full AP Top 25
| Ranking | Team | Record | Previous | Voting Points |
| 1 | Texas | 29-2 | 1 | 768 (25) |
| 2 | USC | 26-2 | 4 | 749 (6) |
| 3 | UConn | 28-3 | 5 | 685 |
| 4 | UCLA | 27-2 | 2 | 676 |
| 5 | South Carolina | 27-3 | 6 | 664 |
| 6 | Notre Dame | 25-4 | 3 | 626 |
| 7 | NC State | 24-5 | 9 | 589 |
| 8 | TCU | 28-3 | 10 | 570 |
| 9 | LSU | 27-4 | 7 | 490 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 23-6 | 13 | 450 |
| 11 | Duke | 23-7 | 16 | 436 |
| 12 | Kentucky | 22-6 | 15 | 405 |
| 13 | Ohio State | 24-5 | 14 | 397 |
| 14 | UNC | 25-6 | 8 | 386 |
| 15 | Maryland | 23-6 | 19 | 316 |
| 16 | West Virginia | 23-6 | 18 | 301 |
| 17 | Baylor | 25-6 | 17 | 286 |
| 18 | Tennessee | 21-8 | 11 | 236 |
| 19 | Alabama | 23-7 | 20 | 221 |
| 20 | Kansas State | 25-6 | 14 | 220 |
| 21 | Oklahoma State | 24-5 | 21 | 189 |
| 22 | Florida State | 23-7 | 24 | 128 |
| 23 | Creighton | 24-5 | 22 | 83 |
| 24 | Michigan State | 21-8 | 23 | 67 |
| 25 | South Dakota State | 26-3 | NR | 42 |
