Skip to main content
nc-state logo

NCAA resume watch: NC State falls in NET rankings after Virginia Tech loss

image_6483441 (3)by:Noah Fleischman•01/22/24•

fleischman_noah

DJ Horne
Jan 10, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack fans cheer for guard DJ Horne (0) free throw during the first half against North Carolina Tar Heels at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports

NC State had been perfect against the bottom three quadrants heading into the week, but its home loss to Virginia Tech became the Wolfpack’s first defeat outside of its four Quad 1 losses this season.

The Pack had worked its way up to No. 74 in the NET with its win over Louisville a week ago, and inside the top-70 after its win over Wake Forest, but the Virginia Tech defeat set the red and white back to No. 79. The 5-spot drop from week-to-week has the Wolfpack at its lowest NET ranking of the season (it started at No. 53 in the first two weeks of the NCAA’s release of the list).

Now, after NC State dropped the Quad 2 game at home to the Hokies, this week’s pair of road games will be crucial in the team’s path to an at-large bid. The Pack will play at Virginia on Wednesday night, which could be NC State’s first Quad 1 win of the season, before it goes to Syracuse on Saturday night for another Q1 opportunity.

There is still a lot of time — 13 games — for the Wolfpack to position itself in a good spot for an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament, but it needs to make some noise with a couple Quad 1 wins. Here’s a look at NC State’s team sheet at this moment (and we will have a new update to this each week until Selection Sunday). 

  • Quad 1: 0-4 (7 remaining)
  • Quad 2: 3-1 (4 remaining)
  • Quad 3: 2-0 (2 remaining)
  • Quad 4: 8-0 (0 remaining)

Quad 1: 0-4

Home: 1-30 | Neutral: 1-50 | Away: 1-75

NET RankingDateOpponentResult
412/16/2023vs. Tennessee (San Antonio)L 79-70
511/24/2023vs. BYU (Vegas Showdown)L 95-86
71/10/2024vs. North CarolinaL 67-54
73/2/2024at North Carolina
193/4/2024vs. Duke
342/17/2024at Clemson
422/10/2024at Wake Forest
471/24/2024at Virginia
681/27/2024at Syracuse
693/9/2024at Pittsburgh
7011/28/2023at Ole MissL 72-52

Quad 2: 3-1

Home 31-75 | Neutral: 51-100 | Away: 76-135

NET RankingDateOpponentResult
421/16/2024vs. Wake ForestW 83-76
471/6/2024vs. VirginiaW 76-60
511/20/2024vs. Virginia TechL 84-78
641/30/2024vs. Miami
682/20/2024vs. Syracuse
692/7/2024vs. Pittsburgh
8812/2/2023at Boston CollegeW 84-78 (OT)
932/27/2024at Florida State

Quad 3: 2-0

Home: 76-160 | Neutral: 101-200 | Away: 136-240

NET RankingDateOpponentResult
882/24/2024vs. Boston College
1242/3/2024vs. Georgia Tech
1621/3/2024at Notre DameW 54-52
2331/13/2024at LouisvilleW 89-83

Quad 4: 8-0

Home: 161-362 | Neutral: 201-362 | Away: 241-362

NET RankingDateOpponentResult
21412/20/2023vs. Saint LouisW 82-70
23111/6/2023vs. The CitadelW 72-59
23611/23/2023vs. Vanderbilt (Vegas Showdown)W 84-78
24311/10/2023vs. Abilene ChristianW 84-64
24912/12/2023vs. Tennessee-MartinW 81-67
33011/17/2023vs. Charleston SouthernW 87-53
34912/6/2023vs. Maryland Eastern ShoreW 93-61
36112/23/2023vs. Detroit MercyW 83-66

Team sheet notes

– Most of NC State’s non-conference schedule remains Quad 4 wins. The Wolfpack’s eight non-ACC wins are in that category, which does not help its NCAA Tournament resume, other than the fact NC State avoided any painful losses in that stretch.

Top 10

  1. 1

    Nico Iamaleava update

    Josh Heupel provides latest on Tennessee QB

  2. 2

    Kirk calls out trash throwing

    Herbstreit: "Enough is enough, clowns"

  3. 3

    Ole Miss storms field

    Celebration starts too early after beating Georgia

  4. 4

    Herbstreit 'retired' from CFP show

    College football analyst no longer on Tuesday rankings reveal

  5. 5

    Tour of Oxford

    Goalposts visit local landmarks after Georgia upset

View All

– Last week, the hope was Boston College would find a way to move back inside the top-75, but after a 1-5 start to ACC play, the Eagles are going in the wrong direction of the NET rankings for the Pack. The road win at Boston College is now a middle-of-the-pack Quad 2 win, and when it makes the trip to Raleigh next month, it will likely be a Quad 3 contest.

– With the way Wake Forest has been playing, NC State fans should continue to root for the Demon Deacons the rest of the regular season, outside of the Pack’s game in Winston-Salem. Wake is just 12 spots away from becoming a Quad 1 home win for NC State, which would be helpful on the red and white’s team sheet.

– The Pack’s next Quad 1 chance is at Virginia on Wednesday. It will need to take advantage of the opportunity against the Cavaliers, which the Pack led by 21 at one point earlier this month. Virginia has not lost in its last 20 home games, but if Kevin Keatts‘ squad wants to create positive momentum towards the NCAA at-large bid, this would be a great start. NC State will have another crack at a Q1 win at Syracuse on Saturday as well. If the Pack can win both, it would be in a great spot, but a split would be a positive step for the red and white.

– After this week’s stretch, NC State will have to wait until mid-February for its next crack at a Quad 1 win at Wake Forest and at Clemson. The red and white could make noise late in the ACC schedule with two Quad 1 opportunities at North Carolina and against Duke in two of the final three games of the season. That could turn some heads in the selection committee room going into the ACC tournament if the Pack can win one or both of those contests. 

Remaining schedule

DateOpponentNET RankingQuad
1/24/2024at Virginia47Quad 1
1/27/2024at Syracuse68Quad 1
1/30/2024vs. Miami64Quad 2
2/3/2024vs. Georgia Tech124Quad 3
2/7/2024vs. Pittsburgh69Quad 2
2/10/2024at Wake Forest42Quad 1
2/17/2024at Clemson34Quad 1
2/20/2024vs. Syracuse68Quad 3
2/24/2024vs. Boston College88Quad 3
2/27/2024at Florida State93Quad 2
3/2/2024at North Carolina7Quad 1
3/4/2024vs. Duke19Quad 1
3/9/2024at Pittsburgh69Quad 1

You may also like