NC State vaults back inside AP Top 10 after upset win over then-No. 1 Notre Dame
After five ranked bouts in the last six games, NC State emerged at the end of its marathon stretch with a show-stopping double-overtime win over No. 1 Notre Dame on Sunday afternoon.
That victory, which marked the program’s fifth over a top-ranked team in its history, helped solidify the Wolfpack’s national standing. It proved that the Pack is a force to be reckoned with going into March as it looks to make its second straight trip to the Final Four.
But in the meantime, NC State moved up four spots in the most recent Associated Press Top 25 to No. 9 as the ACC’s third-highest rated program. The Irish fell to No. 3, while North Carolina checked in at 8, Duke slotted in at No. 16, Florida State was No. 24 and Louisville rounded out the group at No. 25.
For Wolfpack coach Wes Moore, who guided NC State to its third win over the nation’s top-ranked squad under his tutelage, the team’s gritty victory over Notre Dame was the cherry on top of what was a grueling six-game span.
“This is a big win,” Moore said. “It was a juggernaut stretch. … I’m impressed that they’ve been able to go through this stretch and find a way [to win.]”
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NC State, which tied its highest ranking of the season this week, beat then-No. 10 Duke in comeback fashion on Feb. 3 before it blew out then-No. 22 Florida State by 33 on the road. The Pack dropped its road test at the then-No. 12 Tar Heels by one, but rebounded with a decisive victory at then-No. 20 Georgia Tech last Thursday.
The Wolfpack’s battle with the Irish, which ended with the double overtime thriller, was the latest of its star-studded schedule. Now, NC State will finish the regular season against Wake Forest on Thursday for senior night before it plays at SMU on Sunday afternoon.
NC State has secured a double bye in the ACC Tournament, which is set to be played in Greensboro on March 5-9. The Wolfpack could still earn the No. 1 seed if it wins out and the Irish lose one of their final two games against Florida State and Louisville.
Full AP Top 25
| Ranking | Team | Record | Previous | Total voting points |
| 1 | Texas | 26-2 | 2 | 756 (19) |
| 2 | UCLA | 26-1 | 3 | 736 (11) |
| 3 | Notre Dame | 24-3 | 1 | 715 |
| 4 | USC | 25-2 | 4 | 702 (1) |
| 5 | UConn | 26-3 | 5 | 649 |
| 6 | South Carolina | 25-3 | 6 | 620 |
| 7 | LSU | 27-2 | 7 | 590 |
| 8 | UNC | 25-4 | 9 | 529 |
| 9 | NC State | 22-5 | 13 | 526 |
| 10 | TCU | 26-3 | 10 | 517 |
| 11 | Tennessee | 21-6 | 15 | 418 |
| 12 | Ohio State | 23-4 | 8 | 406 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | 21-6 | 16 | 382 |
| 14 | Kansas State | 25-4 | 12 | 376 |
| 15 | Kentucky | 21-5 | 14 | 353 |
| 16 | Duke | 21-7 | 11 | 323 |
| 17 | Baylor | 24-5 | 19 | 256 |
| 18 | West Virginia | 21-6 | 17 | 225 |
| 19 | Maryland | 21-6 | 21 | 198 |
| 20 | Alabama | 22-6 | 18 | 196 |
| 21 | Oklahoma State | 22-5 | 24 | 147 |
| 22 | Creighton | 23-4 | 23 | 121 |
| 23 | Michigan State | 20-7 | 22 | 104 |
| 24 | Florida State | 22-6 | NR | 64 |
| 25 | Louisville | 19-8 | NR | 46 |
