Wolfpack and Bulldogs Meet Friday Evening in Sweet 16

March 20, 2018

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RALEIGH – The fourth-seeded NC State women's basketball (26-8) team continues its NCAA Tournament journey on Friday evening when it squares off with first-seeded Mississippi State (34-1) in the Sweet 16 from Kansas City, Mo. Tip-off between the Wolfpack and Bulldogs from the Sprint Center is scheduled for 7 pm ET (6 pm local) and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

The winner of Friday's game will advance to play either Texas or UCLA on Sunday, March 25 at 7:30 pm ET (6:30 pm local) with the opportunity to advance to the Final Four in Columbus, Ohio.

A WIN ON FRIDAY WOULD...
-Be the 889th win in program history (888-460).
-Be the 671st win of head coach Wes Moore's career (670-220).
-Be Moore's 113th win at NC State (112-51).
-Be the Wolfpack's 23rd NCAA Tournament victory (22-23).
-Be the Wolfpack's second win over Mississippi State (1-1).
-Mark the fifth season of 27+ wins in program history.
-Be Moore's sixth time earning 27+ wins in a season.
-Mark NC State's first trip to the Elite Eight since 1998.

NOTING THE WOLFPACK (26-8, #4 SEED)
-Ranked 17th in the RPI.
-Ranked 21st (AP Poll) and 22nd (USA Today Poll) nationally.
-Won 14 of its last 17 games.
-Fourth nationally in FT attempts (738).
-Eighth nationally in rebound margin (+9.8).
-15th nationally in rebounds per game (42.4).
-26th nationally in scoring defense (56.8).
-23 of the Wolfpack's 26 wins this season have been by 12 or more points.
-Including the NCAA first-round win over Elon, NC State has held nine of its opponents to 50 points or fewer this season.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS (34-1, #1 SEED)
-Ranked fifth in the RPI.
-Ranked fourth in the AP and USA Today polls.
-Third nationally in scoring margin (+26.5) and turnover margin (+8.4).
-Sixth nationally in 3FG percentage (.393).
-10th nationally in scoring offense (82.1).
-16th nationally in scoring defense (55.6).
-Teaira McCowan ranks third nationally in rebounds per game (13.3).
-Last two losses came to South Carolina in the 2017 NCAA Championship game and the 2018 SEC Championship game.
-Ended UConn's 111-game winning streak in the 2017 Final Four.

SERIES HISTORY (TIED 1-1)
-In the last meeting between the teams, Mississippi State defeated NC State 71-58 in Cancun, Mexico, on Dec. 21, 2001.
-The teams met in the first round of the 1999 NCAA Tournament, with NC State earning a 76-57 win in Lubbock, Texas.

NC STATE IS MOST SUCCESSFUL THIS SEASON WHEN...
-Leading at the half (23-1).
-It outscores opponents in the paint (17-1).
-Shooting 40 percent or higher from the field (16-1).
-Holding opponents to less than 40 percent shooting (21-2).
-Four or more players score in double figures (15-2).
-Its bench outscores the opponent's bench (14-2).
-Games are decided by 10 points or more (23-3).
-It scores more fast break points than the other team (15-3).
-Hitting five or more three-pointers (22-5).
-Outrebounding the opposition (22-6).

GOING TO KANSAS CITY. KANSAS CITY, HERE WE COME
The last time NC State played an NCAA Tournament game in Kansas City, Mo., it was in the 1998 Final Four. Though the season ended with an 84-65 loss to Louisiana Tech, it was widely viewed as one of the best seasons in program history with a 25-7 record and six wins over ranked opponents, including one over UConn in the Elite Eight.

FUN TIMES IN RALEIGH
NC State participated in NCAA Tournament games in Raleigh for the first time since 2007. The Wolfpack is 14-2 in NCAA Tournament games played in Raleigh and has not lost a home game in the tournament since 1983.

HOW THE WOLFPACK GOT HERE
In the first two rounds of the 2018 NCAA Tournament in Raleigh, NC State held Elon (W, 62-35) and No. 16 Maryland (W, 74-60) to 48 percent and 74 percent of their season scoring averages, respectively.

THE WOLFPACK IS BACK
NC State is making its third NCAA Tournament appearance during HC Wes Moore's fifth season in Raleigh. This season marks the first time that the Wolfpack has made two consecutive NCAA Tournaments since the program did so in 2006 and 2007. With the first-round victory over Elon on Mar. 16, NC State has won at least one game in back-to-back tournaments for the first time since the program did so in 1998 and 1999.

NC STATE IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT (24TH APPEARANCE)
Record: 22-23
Last appearance: 2017 (1-1)
Final Fours: 1 (1998)
Sweet 16s: 12 (1982, 84, 85, 87, 89, 90, 91, 95, 98, 2001, 07, 18)

RISE TO THE OCCASION
In five seasons under head coach Wes Moore, the Wolfpack is 6-10 against teams ranked in the AP top 10.

THIRTY-TWO STRAIGHT
Sophomore guard Aislinn Konig has hit at least one three-pointer in 32 consecutive games since Nov. 15.

NEW FACES. BETTER 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 (26-8) than last season (23-9). The Wolfpack was picked 10th (coaches) and tied for fourth in the ACC standings.

KEEP GETTING TO THE LINE
NC State has made more free throws (489) than its opponents have attempted (481) through 34 games this season.

SHARP SHOOTER
Sophomore guard Aislinn Konig has hit 90 three-pointers this season, tying for the most made in a single year with Jennifer Howard's 1995-96 season.

BLOCK BY BLOCK
Senior center Akela Maize is moving up the single-season blocks list at NC State. With 67 blocks through 34 games this year, she currently ranks second for most in a single season. Maize has swatted two blocks or more on 14 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. Genia Beasley holds the program record of 73 blocks during the 1978-79 season.

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Wolfpack and Bulldogs Meet Friday Evening in Sweet 16

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Players Mentioned

Aislinn Konig

Akela Maize