If anybody needs a scouting report on the Final Four, North Carolina State head coach Wes Moore can lend a hand.
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The Wolfpack played three of the four teams that reached Columbus, Ohio, this season, including annual ACC opponents Louisville and Notre Dame.
Despite graduating four seniors and being picked 10th in the preseason poll by the coaches, N.C. State finished tied for fourth in the ACC standings and reached the Sweet 16 this season.
N.C. State lost to Louisville 55-47 in regular-season conference play, and 64-59 in the semifinals of the conference tournament. The Wolfpack lost to Notre Dame 86-67 in regular-season conference play, and lost to Mississippi State 71-57 in the Sweet 16.
Between recruiting trips and a flight to the Final Four, Moore provided a few thoughts to High Post Hoops on the No. 1 seeds in the Final Four:
“All of them can score, and this time of year I think you need teams that can score. It’s probably what hurt us. We defended really well and rebounded well, but at some point at this time of year you better be able to score in the 70s and even the low 80s. These teams can all do that. They all have great scorers as well as a lot of complementary pieces around them. Notre Dame has Arike Ogunbowale and they can have her take over a game. Mississippi State has (Victoria) Vivians and Louisville has (Asia) Durr. All of the three teams we played all had a player that can really carry them in stretches.
“Mississippi State has a couple wing players shooting over 40 percent from 3 to keep you honest and they’ve got 6-7 (Teaira) McCowan on the block, who killed us. Louisville’s supporting cast is playing a lot better now. They are stepping up, and of course Durr started hitting shots. She was struggling there for a little bit, but when she’s hitting shots she makes everyone around her better. (Marina) Mabrey stretches the defense for Notre Dame and they have (Jessica) Shepard inside and (Kathryn) Westbeld has been knocking down 15-foot shots and scoring around the rim.
“Mississippi State defensively is probably a little different than what you see a lot. It’s the Pat Summitt defense. They really put a lot of pressure on you and get into the passing lanes and make it harder for you to run your stuff. In my coaching career, I grew up out there in Maryville College (Tennessee) and being around Pat Summitt and watching her practices and working her camps, that is the style of defense Mississippi State plays now. Especially with the officiating calling it so tight, not many people are playing what is called the ‘push defense’ and getting out in the passing lanes. A lot of people are packing it in and keeping you in front of them without fouling you. You don’t see what Mississippi State does every day and that can really disrupt an offense. They do a great job of taking charges and rotating from the weak side.
“Notre Dame has been playing a lot of zone this year because of the injuries. Muffet (McGraw) has done a phenomenal job considering all the players they lost. Not all teams are comfortable attacking zones. That can be good if you are playing against somebody that has a big inside. It maybe neutralizes her a little bit.
“Jeff Walz does such a good job at Louisville of game-planning and adjusting his defense based on the opponent. He is sure to have a good scheme to try and slow McCowan down inside and maybe disrupt Vivians a little bit. They all do something a little different that is effective.
“Connecticut, what can you say about them anyway? They have unbelievable balance and consistency. All their kids can handle the ball. That is the impressive thing. They are all comfortable bringing the ball up the floor and can all take off on the break with it. You’ve got to guard all five of them. A lot of teams you can cheat off a player or two and help try to slow down a really strong offensive player. With them, there are too many weapons out there to really cheat too much.”