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NC State women's basketball bracketology update: Feb. 29

On3 imageby:Ethan McDowell•02/29/24•

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Rivers Collins NC State
N.C.State's Saniya Rivers (22) reacts to being fouled during the first half against North Carolina. The N.C. State Wolfpack and the North Carolina Tar Heels met in a regular-season game in Raleigh, N.C., on Feb. 1, 2024.

No. 12 NC State women’s basketball fell twice last week, dropping games against Duke and UNC in consecutive road matchups. Despite the results, neither setback was a “bad” loss in terms of the Wolfpack’s NCAA Tournament resume.

The program will likely finish in the ACC’s top four, especially if it defeats No. 19 Syracuse at home Thursday night, securing a double-bye in the conference tournament and building some momentum going into the big dance.

Both ESPN.com and The Athletic projected the Wolfpack, now 23-5 this season, as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament with just a few weeks to go until Selection Sunday.

ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme updated his bracket Thursday morning. NC State is still comfortably hosting round of 64 games in his projection. The Pack would play in the Albany 1 regional, with South Carolina as the No. 1 seed and UCLA on the No. 2 line.

In the program’s first game, hosted in Raleigh, the Wolfpack would play No. 14 seed Chattanooga— the automatic qualifier out of the Southern Conference. The Mocs are 23-4 this season. NC State would then play the winner of No. 6 Creighton vs. No. 11 Maryland/Texas A&M, depending on who won the first 4 game, if the Pack won its round of 64 matchup.

A potential showdown with the Terrapins would set up a rematch between graduate forward Mimi Collins and her former team. Former Wolfpack guard Jakia Brown-Turner also plays for Maryland and is averaging 13.6 points per game this season.

The Athletic projected NC State in the Portland 1 region Feb. 27. USC would be the top-seeded team, with Iowa checking in on the No. 2 line. NC State would play Jackson State in the Round of 64. As the automatic qualifier in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the Tigers are 19-6 this season and played Miami within 7 points during their non-conference schedule.

If the Wolfpack won that game, the program would face either No. 6 seed Utah or No. 11 Green Bay. Both games would be in Raleigh.

NC State women’s basketball NET update

Following its recent losses to North Carolina and Duke, the Wolfpack is now the No. 15 team in the NCAA’s NET— an important metric for postseason selection. NC State has spent most of the past month fluctuating from 10-15. Notre Dame leads the conference at No. 10 nationally, and Virginia Tech slots in at No. 14. A total of nine ACC schools crack the NET’s top 50. NC State has not lost a game to any team ranked below No. 48.

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