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Around the ACC: Notre Dame earns top seed in upcoming ACC tourney

By Steve Bittenbender

TOLEDO, OH - DECEMBER 8: Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Jackie Young (5) drives to the basket against Toledo Rockets forward Sarah St-Fort (5) during a regular season non-conference game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Toledo Rockets on December 8, 2018, at Savage Arena in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TOLEDO, OH - DECEMBER 8: Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Jackie Young (5) drives to the basket against Toledo Rockets forward Sarah St-Fort (5) during a regular season non-conference game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Toledo Rockets on December 8, 2018, at Savage Arena in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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RALEIGH, NC – FEBRUARY 18: Head coach Wes Moore of the North Carolina State Wolfpack directs his team against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at Reynolds Coliseum on February 18, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Notre Dame won 95-72. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – FEBRUARY 18: Head coach Wes Moore of the North Carolina State Wolfpack directs his team against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at Reynolds Coliseum on February 18, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Notre Dame won 95-72. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /

Big second half allows Wolfpack to earn third seed

The biggest surprise may have come out of Raleigh, where No. 10 North Carolina State rallied from a 10-point second half deficit to beat No. 15 Miami 70-68 and take the tournament’s third seed away from a Hurricanes team that had posted wins against Notre Dame and Louisville earlier in the season.

After losing at Louisville by 30 on Thursday night, the Pack allowed Miami to get off to an 11-2 start. However, the Wolfpack held the Canes to just 36 percent shooting in the second half, enabling them to make a comeback.

Kiara Leslie’s jumper with 7:22 remaining gave N.C. State the lead for good at 57-56, and the Wolfpack hit 5-of-6 free throws in the closing moments to put the game out of reach.

"“We’ve had our ups and downs,” Wolfpack coach Wes Moore said. “But for this group to lose four really good players and still finish in the top three in the ACC, I’m really proud of them.”"

The last time the Wolfpack were seeded so high in the ACC conference tournament happened back in 2005.

After beating the Cardinals on the road two weeks ago, Miami lost two of its last four games, with both of those coming away from Coral Gables. Nonetheless, coach Katie Meier still likes her team’s chances as they head to Greensboro this week.

“I think we can win on the road,” Meier said. “I think we play really well on the road. We should be very confident going into the ACC Tournament.”

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