What playing at NC State means to the Wolfpack’s senior trio

NC State coach Wes Moore isn’t one to hide his emotions on the bench. When things are going well, a smile and fist pump usually follow. And when they’re not, his face usually resembles the same deep red color as the Wolfpack’s road uniforms. 

But before the Pack tipped off with Wake Forest on Senior Night on Wednesday, Moore admitted the pregame ceremony was emotional for him. NC State honored guards Aziaha James, Saniya Rivers, Madison Hayes and forward Lizzie Williamson in what was the final regular season game for the former trio, while the latter could be eligible for a medical waiver after playing in just five games this season. 

The three guards have been program stalwarts for the Wolfpack. The group has all eclipsed 1,000 points in an NC State uniform, while they helped guide the program to its first Final Four in 25 years. 

Moore, a 36-year coaching veteran, was touched when talking about that trio’s impact on his team. 

“What they’ve done for this program, you take a team to the Final Four, that’s a legacy-type thing. That’s not easy to do. They all played major parts in that,” Moore said. “We’re going to miss them, but right now, we need to take full advantage and take it as far as we can — extend those careers as long as we can.”

While Moore was quick to describe what James, Rivers and Hayes meant to him and his program, the trio reflected on what playing for the Wolfpack signified to them.  

The head coach

What’s already been settled is Moore’s demeanor on the sidelines. He wears his passion on his sleeve, pushing his roster as far as he can to get the most out of it on a nightly basis. While that might not work for some, NC State’s seniors believed it’s what has been the biggest catalyst in their basketball careers. 

Hayes, who transferred in from Mississippi State after her freshman year, wasn’t shy to describe how Moore has been able to get the most out of her, either. 

“If he’s hard on you, he’s hard on you for a reason,” Hayes said. “It took me a long time to understand that. I can take criticism, and he’s a hard coach to play for, but I love him. I wouldn’t take any other coach over him — ever.”

Similarly, Rivers thought the Wolfpack’s 12th-year coach has been able to push all the right buttons. While she admitted they clashed early in her time with the Pack, Rivers eventually found a way to work with Moore — and it has paid dividends ever since. 

The 6-foot-1 guard not only is one of NC State’s top threats on the court, but she has developed into a future WNBA player during her time under his tutelage. 

“I definitely learned patience,” Rivers said. “I feel like I’m a patient person, but he can be a hard coach to play for because he’s so passionate and he loves the game so much. If you can play for Coach Moore, you can play for anybody. … He’s getting me ready for the next level.”

James, however, has a different view on Moore. He’s the one who recruited her out of high school, and she was put in a place to develop under him for the duration of her college career. James averaged just 9.5 minutes as a freshman and 18.8 as a sophomore before she broke out with at least 16.0 points in more than 30 minutes of playing time in her junior and senior campaigns. 

What held her together during the growing pains of being an underclassman in Moore’s system, which usually doesn’t go deep into the bench? His McDonald’s french fries analogy. No matter where someone buys a carton of them, they’re the same. And that’s exactly what he wants his team to be, no matter how much they’re playing or how many points they’ve scored. 

That’s always stuck with James, who emerged as a potential WNBA First Round pick this season with double-digit scoring outputs in all but one game this year. 

“That was an important lesson,” James said. “He always said since I was a freshman, just stay ready, be the same and not go up and down.”

While all three players learned in a different way, Moore has the best of intentions leading the program. The entire group has figured that out as they’ve risen to being the faces of the Wolfpack program.

The fan base

For those sitting courtside at Reynolds Coliseum, there’s a good chance they’ve had a conversation with Rivers — mid-game. She might not be bored during the pace of play, but Rivers has found ways to converse with those just inches away from floor, usually cracking wide smiles in the heat of battle. 

But that’s who Rivers is. 

The Wilmington, N.C., native was looking for a supportive fan base when she entered the transfer portal after her freshman year at South Carolina. It was one of her top priorities in the recruiting process, and NC State has more than delivered. 

Rivers can still picture the throngs of fans waiting for the team buses to return to Raleigh in the middle of the night after clinching a spot in the Final Four. She was also astonished at the more than 500 students lined up outside the 76-year old gymnasium last weekend ahead of the Wolfpack’s upset win over then-No. 1 Notre Dame. 

“I love it here,” Rivers said with her trademark smile. “We play for a university that supports women’s basketball. …  A program that heavily supports women’s basketball, that’s all I wanted when I transferred. To have that times-10, it just feels amazing.”

Rivers wasn’t alone in that thinking, either. 

“We have the best fans where they travel,” Hayes said. “They will travel. That’s what I love about this fan base. They will support, they’re always encouraging, very kind with their words. I wouldn’t take any other fan base over them.”

No matter who NC State is playing — or what’s on the line — the Wolfpack’s crowd is always there for them. Even if another program’s coach decides to take a shot at NC State’s “small gym” of 5,500 raucous fans.  

That’s what James appreciated the most. 

“They’re definitely No. 1 in the country,” James said. “They make this small gym big. Without them, we wouldn’t have the energy that we had against Notre Dame. They gave us fire. … We feel their energy within us on the court and it makes us better.”

While Senior Night has come and gone, NC State is projected to earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would allow for the Wolfpack to host at most two more games in Reynolds. That fire will fuel the Pack’s senior trio from start to finish, regardless of opponent, for what they hope is another run to the Final Four.