The 2025-26 season for NC State women’s basketball was disappointing in many ways. Despite entering the year with high expectations and a strong home culture under Coach Wes Moore, the results fell short of the standard he has established, one built on toughness at Reynolds Coliseum, consistent ACC competitiveness, and deep postseason runs. Early stumbles at home set a tone that the team was never fully able to shake.
Here’s a clear breakdown of the key home losses in Reynolds Coliseum that broke several notable streaks:
1. Loss to #17 TCU at home (59-69 on Nov. 16, 2025)
- Broke a 24-game home winning streak at Reynolds Coliseum.
- Entering the season, NC State had a 23-game active home winning streak (fourth-longest in the country at the time). They won their home opener (vs. Maine), extending it to 24 before TCU snapped it. This was their first home loss in nearly two seasons and an early sign that the season would not go as planned.
2. Loss to Rhode Island at home (63-68 on Nov. 23, 2025)
- This was NC State’s first-ever loss to Rhode Island (they had been 1-0 in the series). Being a mid-major made the loss worse.
- It stood out as a particularly humbling result. NC State had been extremely dominant at home against non-conference opponents. Rhode Island’s win exposed vulnerability at Reynolds that didn’t align with the program’s usual home strength under Moore.
3. Loss to #9/10 Louisville at home (80-88 in OT on Jan. 18, 2026)
- Snapped a 16-game ACC home winning streak for NC State.
- This streak dated back to the 2023-24 season. Louisville’s overtime victory ended a long run of ACC success at home and further highlighted the team’s struggles to maintain the high standard Moore has built in conference play.
4. Loss to UNC at home (59-61 on Feb. 2, 2026 – Play4Kay game)
- Ended NC State’s recent home dominance over UNC and gave UNC its first win at Reynolds Coliseum since the 2018-19 season.
- UNC had lost its previous five games in Raleigh. This victory marked Coach Courtney Banghart’s first win in Reynolds during her tenure at North Carolina (she entered the game 0-4 in the building). It was also NC State’s second straight home loss at the time.
These four home losses at Reynolds were the most glaring examples of the season not living up to the culture and expectations Coach Wes Moore has worked to establish at NC State. The team still finished 21-11 overall and 13-5 in the ACC (4th place) and reached the NCAA Tournament, but the home floor, long a fortress, simply wasn’t the same in 2025-26.
Changes were needed to be made and were made during the off-season.
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