“ our very best. We think we can go all the way and we’re going to play like that. It’s something we take a lot of pride in.” -Aislinn Konig
The real test of strength will be when the Pack enters a conference with fellow elite teams. The ACC is arguably the strongest women’s basketball conference in the nation and NC State will have to figure out a way to tighten up before conference play.
NC State has found a way to beat opponents by an average of 20 points, but it is no reflection on first-half play. The Pack is highly athletic and can run, run, run the entire game. The athleticism of the ACC. However, approaching ACC play, it is no secret that most teams in the ACC can play at that pace. The 15-team elite conference is known for having high-paced, athletic games as a whole.
Throughout the season, Coach Wes Moore has stressed the importance of improving in the first half. NC State has slow starts to many of its games and depends on the second half spurt to compensate. The method has worked until this point, but the players and coaching staff both know they have to be active and efficient all 40 minutes to maintain their perfect record.
The Wolfpack showed glimpses of sloppiness and mental lapses playing Davidson. They had nine quick turnovers in the earlier minutes of the game, resulting in a tied halftime score of 27. Tightening up on taking care of the ball will vital.
NC State joins Louisville and Virginia Tech as the only other undefeated teams in conference. Florida State and Notre Dame only have one loss on the season—Notre Dame’s defeat coming to top-ranked rival UConn.
NC State will host local rival Duke on Jan. 3, 2019 at 7 PM EST to begin conference play.