NFL
By Jeffrey Newholm
What is the future? Is getting there possible? Funny how a woman can never fully reach her aspirations; success in basketball is always a moving target. But the NC State Wolfpack achieved one goal for sure Monday night, routing Kansas State 89-57. The Wolfpack quickly turns to the Sweet 16, where surging Notre Dame menacingly waits. While State stands on a victory summit, a moment’s reflection leaves players satisfied, if only for a moment.
Formidable? Perhaps Not
Under Wes Moore, the Wolfpack’s coach since 2013, State repeatedly knocked on the door to success, only to have foes turn them away. But in their current campaign, Moore’s passionate leadership propelled State to a number one seed.
In the opening round, the Wolfpack quickly dispatched Longwood 96-68 in Raleigh. Kansas State, boasting dynamo post menace Ayoka Lee, perhaps would be a more formidable opponent.
Eh, perhaps not.
Raina makes it rain
@PerezRaina | @PackWomensBball pic.twitter.com/6Anpu8CHdD
— espnW (@espnW) March 21, 2022
(Nuts And Bolts Sports has better puns, we promise.)
Behind incredible depth and a barrage of threes, State pummeled the Wildcats, securing the outcome far before the final horn. Just before Moore ducked out of the interview room to celebrate and prepare for a field trip to Bridgeport, NBS asked him what the Wolfpack could build on for the regionals.
After earning their 4th straight trip to the #SweetSixteen @PackWomensBball coach Wes Moore was asked, by @JeffreyNewholm what can the team can build upon. #MarchMadness #GoPack #TEAMNBS pic.twitter.com/vl2GG7yr5j
— TEAM NBS Media (@TeamNBSMedia) March 22, 2022
Moore scrutinized the scoresheet and mused, “we had 16 assists and only six turnovers, so that was good. They [Kansas State] went and got four offensive rebounds, so we did a pretty nice job keeping them off the glass.”
Moore observed that his ladies adjusted well to the Wildcats’ defensive strategy.
“They [Kansas State] played zone pretty much the entire game, and sometimes that can be scary if you settle for jump shots all day. We shot the three pretty well, 9 for 19, but we were able to also get the ball inside and score 42 points in the paint, so that’s encouraging.”
Already, Moore looked ahead to the next goal.
“We’re probably going to see zone in the next game, and so we definitely need to build on that as well.”
With over 40 years of basketball behind him, Moore dares to peek at the horizon. So what is the next obstacle for the Wolfpack?
Luck Dismissed
First, Moore and State took a well-deserved celebratory moment.
See you in the Sweet 16 @PackWomensBball
pic.twitter.com/ss0GnX3VMn
— espnW (@espnW) March 21, 2022
Next, State heads to Bridgeport for a Saturday showdown against rapidly-improving Notre Dame. And while the Irish’s success comes from much more than luck, Moore and State don’t need any.
The only time State made the Final Four and Elite Eight was way back in 1998 before many students at the university took their first crawl out of the womb.
True, the next step for State presents an incredible challenge. But Moore needed only a glance at the stats to identify positives in a too-negative 21st century America.
After 24 years of fantasizing about a better future and staring, heartbroken, at others’ successes, tomorrow finally arrived. NC State slew the pretender Wildcats and bounces towards its Connecticut destiny with admirable momentum.
