Wednesday night at Reynolds is the first chance for NC State to play at home since the Campbell game and the first real look at how the Pack responds to a loss. Liberty comes in at 2-0 under second-year coach Alexis Sherard. The Flames opened with a 73-30 win over Frostburg State and then went on the road and beat East Carolina 82-49. They return three players who started at least 25 games last season in Emmy Stout, Ify Nwaobi, and Claudia Acin, so they are not a team that is still figuring out who it is.
This is also the first chance to see how the Pack looks after the Kentucky game. Zoe Brooks left that contest with a hamstring issue and did not return. Moore said they will do what is best for her and make sure she is healthy for the long haul, so her status for Wednesday is something to watch. The rest of the rotation got extended minutes against Kentucky, and Desiree Wooten in particular saw the most time of anyone. How Moore mixes the lineup and whether the perimeter can create more consistent threes after going 3-of-11 against the Wildcats will be part of the story.
Liberty is not the size problem Kentucky was, but they are a team that can score and they play with a physical edge. Stout is a 6-3 post who can score and rebound. Nwaobi is a 6-2 forward who averaged nearly a double-double last season. On the perimeter, Acin and the guards can make shots. It will be another test of the Pack’s ability to pressure the ball, force turnovers, and get out in transition before the half-court sets in. After two blowouts at home and a loss on a neutral floor, this is the first chance to see whether the identity Moore has been building holds up against a Conference USA team that has already won on the road.
Tip is 7 p.m. at Reynolds on ACCNX.
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