NC State’s evolving post depth serves as difference maker going into NCAA Tournament

As NC State coach Wes Moore held court at ACC Media Days in Uptown Charlotte this past July, he wasn’t sure what his front court was going to look like. He pondered a five-guard lineup as his forward position was the team’s biggest question mark entering the season.  The Wolfpack lost Boston University transfer center Caitlin Weimar to a hip injury over the summer, which forced Moore to wonder how he would solve that problem. NC State had sophomore forward Mallory Collier with a pair of freshmen Lorena Awou and Tilda Trygger as the only trio to fill Weimar’s shoes.  Was it going to work? The Pack’s coaching staff wasn’t too sure.  “We knew coming into the season that it was definitely going to be by committee,” NC State assistant Nikki West told TheWolfpacker.com. “We were just hoping that somebody would step up and grab the opportunity as the year went on. You never know with freshmen if they’re going to be ready, if they’re not.” At first, NC State ran with Collier in the post. She was the most-experienced in Moore’s system with 22 appearances in her freshman campaign. The Millington, Tenn., native started 11 straight games in the post before Trygger appeared to be ready.  And once the 6-foot-6 forward was plugged into the starting center spot, she took her game to another level. Add in Awou, who continued to grow throughout the season, blossoming into a key role player off the bench with 10 points in the Pack’s ACC Tournament win over UNC.  “Those kids have stepped up,” Moore said. “Think about them being in the fire out there in some big, big games this year and coming through, it’s pretty amazing for a freshman.” Now, as No. 2 seed NC State prepares to embark on another NCAA Tournament run, hosting No. 15 seed Vermont on Saturday afternoon (2 p.m., ESPN), the emergence of the team’s post players has been one of the Wolfpack’s most important pieces in its surge through the national landscape.