From Fourth Place to Contender: What NC State Must Fix to Challenge for the 2026-27 ACC Regular-Season Title
The 2025-26 NC State Wolfpack women’s basketball season ended in familiar frustration. A 21-11 overall record and 13-5 mark in ACC play produced a fourth-place finish, an ACC Tournament quarterfinal loss to Notre Dame, a first-round NCAA Tournament win over Tennessee, and a 29-point second-round blowout at Michigan.
The offense hummed at 76.7 points per game. Rebounding was a plus. Khamil Pierre (16.7 points, 11.9 rebounds) and Zoe Brooks (16.0 points, 4.3 assists) earned All-ACC first-team honors. Yet the defense ranked just 250th nationally in points allowed (67.1) and 187th in defensive rating (90.6). Three-point shooting sat at 31.4 percent. Against the league’s best, the Pack too often came up short.
Now the calendar has flipped to the 2026-27 season. The preseason outlook has Duke as the clear favorite, followed by Louisville and North Carolina, with Notre Dame and NC State jockeying for fourth.
Closing that gap requires targeted improvement while a remade roster learns a faster style. The conference slate itself will test those changes immediately.
The Roster Reset
Wes Moore retained his two stars. Pierre and Brooks return as seniors, along with Qadence Samuels, Maddie Cox, Ky’She Lunan, and Adelaide Jernigan. Significant losses include Zamareya Jones (14.9 points) to Louisville and 6-foot-6 Tilda Trygger to Washington. Incoming pieces include Colorado transfer Desiree Wooten, Auburn transfer Khady Leye, Boston University transfer Audrey Ericksen, and freshmen Annsley Trivette, Kamora Pruitt, and Favour Ossai. Moore has signaled a faster pace without a traditional center.
Where Improvement Must Happen
Defense first. Last season’s defensive rating was the clearest barrier. Perimeter containment and help defense must tighten. Wooten’s on-ball reputation and added length should help, but the group as a whole must raise its floor.
Three-point shooting and spacing. NC State made 5.9 threes per game at 31.4 percent. Brooks shot 23 percent from deep. The staff has made long-range shooting a priority so the faster style can work.
Consistency against the top of the league. The Pack dropped games at Duke and Notre Dame and lost a close rivalry contest to North Carolina last year. Depth and late-game execution remain questions.
Frontcourt versatility without size. Losing Trygger removes rim protection. Pierre, Leye, and the freshmen must provide enough physicality on the glass.
The Teams They Must Catch – and When They Play Them
Duke remains the standard after going 16-2 and winning both the regular season and ACC Tournament. The Blue Devils lost Ashlon Jackson and Taina Mair to the WNBA but return Toby Fournier (17.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.2 blocks) and add Texas transfer Aaliyah Crump. NC State hosts Duke on Sunday, Jan. 3 at Reynolds Coliseum. That early home date is one of the Pack’s best chances to steal a signature win if the defense and shooting have improved.
Louisville went 15-3 and reached the Sweet 16. Jeff Walz returns Tajianna Roberts, Imari Berry, Elif Istanbulluoglu, and Mackenly Randolph, then added Jones from NC State. Continuity plus scoring punch make the Cardinals dangerous. NC State travels to Louisville on Sunday, Feb. 21. A road win in February against a team that already added a former Wolfpack starter would be a statement.
North Carolina finished 14-4 and made the Sweet 16. Courtney Banghart’s teams remain well-drilled defensively and added experienced transfers. The rivalry opener comes early: NC State plays at North Carolina on Sunday, Dec. 13 at Carmichael Arena. An early road loss there would immediately put the Pack behind in the projected pecking order. This feels like a huge game.
Notre Dame finished 12-6 but still has Hannah Hidalgo, who averaged more than 25 points as a junior. The Irish will be younger after losing veterans. NC State hosts Notre Dame on Thursday, Feb. 18 at Reynolds Coliseum. A home win over Hidalgo’s team late in the season could swing seeding and momentum heading into the final stretch.
The Path Forward
NC State does not need to become a different program. It needs to become a more complete version of itself. Pierre and Brooks give the Pack two proven All-ACC producers. The additions address length, shooting, and athleticism. Playing faster can create easier looks if the three-point threat materializes.
The schedule is unforgiving. The Pack opens ACC play on the road at UNC (Dec. 13), hosts Duke early (Jan. 3), hosts Notre Dame in mid-February (Feb. 18), and closes the gauntlet at Louisville (Feb. 21). Those four games, two home, two away, will define whether fifth-place projections become a footnote or a ceiling.
Moore has already said the program is not satisfied with “that neighborhood.” The roster and stated emphasis on pace and shooting suggest the staff understands the assignment. Execution in those four specific matchups will determine if NC State can close the gap.
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