NC State Women's Basketball: Surviving the NCAA Tournament

As the university observes Spring Break from March 16 to March 20, 2026, the “rest and personal activities” enjoyed by the student body have looked very different for NC State women’s basketball. For Coach Wes Moore’s squad, the break from classes was a grueling period of self-correction. Now, those Spring Break practices are officially over. The Wolfpack has arrived in Ann Arbor, shifting their focus from internal drills to the high-stakes reality of their NCAA Tournament opening-round matchup against Tennessee tomorrow.

Coach Moore’s “Survive and Advance” Mentality

Coach Wes Moore highlighted that the time off allowed the team to look inward before the lights got bright. “It was great to have quite a bit of time where… we were able to focus on us,” Moore stated. He emphasized that the “coach talk” of defense and rebounding is the only way to survive the coming weeks:

“You’ve got to defend, and you’ve got to rebound… trying to get an extra possession, trying to limit them to one-and-done… It’s a whole new season. None of that matters now. It’s survive and advance.”

Breaking Down the Gaps: Lessons from the Losses

The Spring Break “tune-up” was fueled by the bitter taste of late-season losses to North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Duke. These games exposed specific statistical gaps that the Pack had to close before tonight’s tip-off.

Rebounding Deficit (vs. Duke): In the 83-65 loss to Duke, the Wolfpack were outmatched on the glass by a 41-25 margin. Moore noted that opponents were “kicking our butts” in second-chance points—a fatal flaw against a physical Tennessee team.
Perimeter Shooting Slump (vs. Duke): The Pack suffered a historic drought in Durham, going 0-for-6 from 3-point range, the first time in over three years they failed to record a single triple.
Late-Game Execution (vs. UNC): In a narrow 61-59 loss to North Carolina, NC State shot only 37% from the field and 24% from beyond the arc, failing to capitalize on defensive stops.
Interior Toughness (vs. Notre Dame): In February, the Irish shot 43.9% from the field, exposing a lack of urgency in “getting in the gaps” to help the post defense.

Final Stats: The “Gaps” That Defined Practice

Opponent	Result	Rebound Margin	FG%	3PT%
Duke	L, 65-83	-16	33.3%	0%
UNC	L, 59-61	-4	37.1%	23.8%
Notre Dame	L, 67-79	+6*	48.2%	23.1%

*Note: Despite a positive rebound margin vs. Notre Dame, defensive lapses allowed high-percentage scoring in the paint.

The Turn to Tennessee

With the Spring Break sessions in the rearview mirror, the Wolfpack must now prove they’ve learned their lessons. By utilizing this window, Moore has pushed the team to play with more “urgency” and “help each other in the gaps.” The era of “focusing on us” is finished; tonight at 8 p.m. ET, it’s about whether this refined version of the Wolfpack can survive the Tennessee Lady Vols and advance.