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NC State women's basketball preparing for high-profile post showdown

MattCarterby:Matt Carter•03/20/22•

TheWolfpacker

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NC State basketball center Elissa Cunane (Photo by Scott Taetsch/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

NC State women’s basketball is on a quest to take it one step at a time, using a wooden step created by head coach Wes Moore’s now-famous neighbor Ron to prove the point.

Ron was in attendance for the opening round win for NC State over Longwood. After that game was over, the step that said “NC State vs. Longwood” was changed to “NC State vs. Kansas State.”

“It’s been interesting to hear them talking about it, and they just say it reminds us that we need to just focus on one,” Moore noted. “Don’t look at the big, old bracket. It doesn’t matter. Look at this next game. From that standpoint, it’s been good.”

Kansas State is a familiar opponent for NC State. The two teams played each other Nov. 19 in Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh. The Wildcats hung around with the Wolfpack for about 15 minutes, but a 9-0 second quarter run gave NC State a 40-29 lead.

Kansas State closed the game to five points in the third quarter, but NC State responded with seven unanswered points and eventually would pull away for a 90-69 triumph.

“it seems like a few years ago, but it was a few months ago,” Moore joked.

Much of the attention then is the same it will be Monday when the two teams tip off at 4 p.m., in a game televised on ESPN with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line. Both NC State and Kansas State feature All-American centers.

In November, Wolfpack senior Elissa Cunane had 18 points and six rebounds. Wildcats junior Ayoka Lee had 19 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.

Lee scored six of Kansas State’s first eight points in the contest, but she had just 10 points entering the fourth quarter. Lee would finish the season averaging 22.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game and set a NCAA record with 61 points in a game against Oklahoma, who is the four seed in the same Bridgeport Region these two teams are playing.

“We’re going to keep it pretty much the same,” Cunane said. “We kept her below her average. I remember that game, and obviously we came out with a W.

“I think just focusing whether we’re going to be in front, behind, three quarters — whatever we’re going to do defensively just buying into that and fighting every single possession. I remember last game letting up a little in the fourth quarter. I still think about that to this day. Battling through every possession throughout the whole game will hopefully keep her under that.”

“You try to make it hard for them to get it to her, but they are really good at it,” Moore added. “… We prepare three or four different ways to defend her, and you would love to just have to use one of them. But if that’s not working then obviously you go to plan B and if need be plan C or whatever.”

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