NC State women's basketball returns to AP Poll top 5
NC State women’s basketball is back in the Associated Press Poll top 5, checking in at No. 5. The Wolfpack is on a three-game winning streak and, as a result, solidified its standing as the highest-ranked team in the ACC.
Following a brief drop to No. 7 in last week’s poll, NC State rose once again thanks to its own success and losses by Colorado and UCLA. During a two-game road trip to Clemson and Boston College, the Wolfpack picked up a pair of victories by a combined 43 points.
First, NC State faced off against the Tigers. The Wolfpack successfully broke down the opposition’s zone defense in part thanks to a career-high 24-point, 9-rebound performance from senior guard Madison Hayes.
In the following matchup, Junior guard Aziaha James caught fire for 24 points to lead the program to another blowout win. NC State lost consecutive games on the road earlier this month, so these conference victories helped right the ship.
NC State is one of six ranked ACC programs. No. 14 Notre Dame, No. 16 Louisville, No. 17 Virginia Tech, No. 21 Syracuse and No. 24 North Carolina all follow the Pack.
Over its next three games, NC State will host three of those top-25 programs. UNC travels to Raleigh Thursday, Feb. 1 for a rivalry showdown at Reynolds Coliseum. Game time is 8 p.m. Then, Louisville will be in town for the annual Play4Kay game, Monday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. NC State caps off the home stand with a rematch against Virginia Tech, Thursday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. The Hokies defeated the Pack by 1 point in the previous meeting between the two squads.
“It will be good to be home, but we’re going to have to take advantage of it and try to hold serve, and it will not be easy,” head coach Wes Moore told WKNC after the Boston College win.
Here is the full Associated Press Poll, courtesy of the NCAA.
| RANK | TEAM | RECORD | POINTS | PREVIOUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Carolina (35) | 19-0 | 875 | 1 |
| 2 | Kansas State | 20-1 | 819 | 4 |
| 3 | Iowa | 19-2 | 795 | 5 |
| 4 | Stanford | 19-2 | 769 | 6 |
| 5 | NC State | 18-2 | 739 | 18-2 |
| 6 | Colorado | 17-3 | 677 | 3 |
| 7 | UCLA | 16-3 | 637 | 2 |
| 8 | Ohio State | 17-3 | 596 | 12 |
| 9 | LSU | 18-3 | 595 | 9 |
| 10 | Indiana | 17-2 | 477 | 14 |
| 11 | UConn | 17-4 | 460 | 8 |
| 12 | Texas | 19-3 | 452 | 10 |
| 13 | Baylor | 16-3 | 441 | 13 |
| 14 | Notre Dame | 15-4 | 408 | 15 |
| 15 | Southern California | 14-4 | 393 | 11 |
| 16 | Louisville | 18-3 | 331 | 18 |
| 17 | Virginia Tech | 16-4 | 328 | 19 |
| 18 | Oregon State | 17-3 | 323 | 25 |
| 19 | Gonzaga | 20-2 | 320 | 17 |
| 20 | Utah | 15-6 | 296 | 16 |
| 21 | Syracuse | 17-3 | 176 | 22 |
| 22 | Creighton | 16-3 | 160 | 21 |
| 23 | West Virginia | 17-2 | 132 | 24 |
| 24 | North Carolina | 15-6 | 75 | 20 |
| 25 | Princeton | 15-3 | 28 | NR |
