#21 Wolfpack Meets Panthers in Pittsburgh Thursday Evening

February 21, 2018

Game Notes | Live Stats | ACC Network Extra

RALEIGH – The No. 21/22 NC State women's basketball team (21-6, 10-4 ACC) returns to action on Thursday evening when it plays at Pittsburgh. Tip-off between the Wolfpack and Panthers is scheduled for 7 p.m. from the Petersen Events Center with live video coverage provided by ACC Network Extra.

A WIN ON THURSDAY WOULD...
-Be the 884th win in program history (883-458).
-Be the 666th win of head coach Wes Moore's career (665-218).
-Be NC State's 358th ACC win (357-235).
-Be Moore's 108th win at NC State (107-49).
-Be the Wolfpack's 32nd true road win under Moore (31-23).
-Be the Wolfpack's fifth win over Pittsburgh (4-2).
-Be the Wolfpack's third win at Pittsburgh (2-0).
-Mark the 17th season of 22+ wins in program history.
-Be Moore's 22nd time earning 22+ wins in a season.

NOTING THE WOLFPACK (21-6, 10-4)
-Ranked 18th in the RPI as of games played Feb. 20.
-Ranked 21st (AP Poll) and 22nd (USA Today Poll) nationally.
-Won nine of its last ten games.
-Third nationally in rebound margin (+10.9).
-11th nationally in rebounds per game (43.3).
-13th nationally in FT attempts (593).
-24th nationally in scoring defense (56.0).
-31st nationally in FG percent defense (.364).
-19 of 21 wins this season have been by 12 or more points.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS (10-17, 2-12)
-Ranked 172nd in the RPI as of games played Feb. 20.
-Eighth nationally in blocked shots per game (6.2).
-41st nationally in FG percent defense (.370).
-93rd nationally in steals per game (8.9).
-274th nationally in scoring offense (64.2).
-Yacine Diop leads the team in scoring (15.3 ppg.).

SERIES HISTORY (NC STATE LEADS 4-2)
-In the last meeting, NC State won 55-42 in Raleigh on Jan. 26, 2017.
-In the last meeting at Pittsburgh, NC State won 78-76 in triple overtime on Jan. 10, 2016.
-NC State is 2-0 in games at Pittsburgh.
-The Wolfpack is 3-1 vs. Pittsburgh in Moore's time at NC State.

NC STATE IS MOST SUCCESSFUL THIS SEASON WHEN...
-Shooting 40 percent or higher from the field (12-0).
-Its bench outscores the opponent's bench (11-0).
-Leading at the half (17-1).
-It outscores opponents in the paint (14-1).
-Games are decided by 10 points or more (19-2).
-Holding opponents to less than 40 percent shooting (17-2).
-It scores more fast break points than the other team (13-2).
-Four or more players score in double figures (12-2).
-Hitting five or more three-pointers (18-4).
-Outrebounding the opposition (17-5).

ACC TOURNAMENT APPROACHES
The ACC Tournament returns to the Greensboro Coliseum this season and runs from Feb. 28 - Mar. 4. With NC State's win over UNC-Chapel Hill on Feb. 11, the Wolfpack guaranteed a bye into at least the second round beginning Thursday, Mar. 1.

REWRITE THE RECORD BOOKS
NC State ends a regular season with 14 home wins for the third time under head coach Wes Moore. Prior to his arrival, the program achieved 14 home wins three times in 39 years.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE ON THE ROAD
Presently in the fifth season under head coach Wes Moore, the Wolfpack has earned 31 true road wins since the start of the 2013-14 season. In the prior eight seasons from 2005-06 to 2012-13, the Wolfpack earned 32 true road wins.

NEW FACES. SIMILAR RESULTS
Despite graduating four senior starters and their accompanying 43.5 points per game from the 2016-17 squad, the 2017-18 Wolfpack is better (21-6) through 27 games than last season (20-7). Despite preseason predictions of 10th (coaches) and eighth (media), the Wolfpack is currently third in the
ACC standings.

KEEP GETTING TO THE LINE
NC State has made more free throws (383) than its opponents have attempted (376) through 27 games this season.

SHARP SHOOTER
Sophomore guard Aislinn Konig has hit 74 three-pointers this season. With two regular-season games remaining, she is sixth for most made in a single season. Jennifer Howard holds the program record of 90 made during the 1995-96 season.

BLOCK BY BLOCK
With two games remaining in the regular season, senior center Akela Maize is moving up the single-season blocks list at NC State. With 53 blocks through 27 games this year, she currently ranks T8th for most in a single season. Maize has swatted two blocks or more on 12 occasions so far this year. Her season and career high mark of five came in the Nov. 23 win over Alabama and was tied in the win over No. 10 Florida State on Feb. 1.

#GoPack | @PackWomensBball

#21 Wolfpack Meets Panthers in Pittsburgh Thursday Evening

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Players Mentioned

Aislinn Konig

Akela Maize