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Hey Wolfpack Nation,

So, the latest AP Top 25 rankings just dropped, and like many of you, I’m scratching my head a bit. Our NC State women’s basketball team, currently sitting at an impressive 11-4 overall and a perfect 4-0 in ACC play, once again didn’t crack the Top 25. We ended up with 22 votes, which, while something, still leaves us on the outside looking in.

It’s a little confusing when you look at some of the context. Just last Thursday, we hosted Stanford here in Reynolds Coliseum and came away with a blow-out 74-46 win. You’d think a performance like that against a respectable opponent would earn us a spot, or at least a lot more consideration. Adding to the intrigue, Stanford itself still received more votes, 25, despite our dominant performance against them.

Then there’s our in-state rivals, UNC, who are still ranked at #22 this week. Now, no disrespect to them, but they actually lost to that same Stanford team – and it was in overtime, on their home court in Chapel Hill. So, we beat Stanford comfortably, and they lost to them, yet they’re still in the rankings and we’re not. It just feels like our strong start in conference play, isn’t getting the full recognition it deserves from the pollsters.

Ultimately, we all know that rankings aren’t everything. They don’t change how hard our team works or the results on the court. But it’s hard not to feel a bit overlooked when you’re playing well, beating good teams, and still waiting for that Top 25 validation.

Perhaps this lack of recognition will only fuel the fire for our team going forward. As Coach Wes Moore said (or said something close) Sunday after beating Cal, “Sometimes it’s good to be laying in the weeds and not being recognized.” They want NC State to lay down in the weeds? So be it. Underdogs it will be.

Go Pack!

RANK	SCHOOL (1ST VOTES)	RECORD	POINTS	PREVIOUS
1	UConn (28)	15-0	796	1
2	Texas (4)	17-0	772	2
3	South Carolina	15-1	725	3
4	UCLA	14-1	715	4
5	Oklahoma	14-1	654	T8
6	Kentucky	15-1	625	11
7	Vanderbilt	15-0	621	12
8	Maryland	15-1	537	7
9	Michigan	11-2	517	6
10	Louisville	14-3	485	13
11	Iowa State	14-1	462	10
12	LSU	14-2	456	5
13	TCU	14-1	454	T8
14	Iowa	12-2	403	14
15	Michigan State	14-1	280	24
16	Baylor	13-3	278	22
17	Texas Tech	16-0	263	21
18	Ole Miss	14-3	243	15
19	Ohio State	13-2	237	19
20	Tennessee	10-3	162	23
21	Southern Cal	10-4	150	17
22	North Carolina	13-4	129	16
23	Washington	12-2	117	NR
24	Princeton	13-1	91	25
25	Nebraska	13-2	65	20

Others receiving votes:  Illinois 58, Notre Dame 27, Stanford 25, NC State 22, Alabama 13, West Virginia 9, Georgia 5, Duke 3, Oklahoma St. 1.