What to know about NC State before it hosts Syracuse Sunday
NC State opened the season as the nation’s ninth-ranked squad, but three losses in its first six games bounced it from the poll, and it hasn’t returned since. Zoe Xixis | Asst. Photo Editor
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Syracuse can taste playoff basketball. With just three games to go, the Orange are comfortably third in the Atlantic Coast Conference and are projected to be a No. 9 seed on Charlie Creme’s latest March Madness bracketology. Yet, there’s still plenty at stake.
SU has a chance to leap to as high as a No. 6 or No. 7 seed with three straight wins, while a few losses — especially one to 5-24 Boston College in the regular-season finale — could send it down to a No. 11 or No. 12 slot.
The bout that’ll likely give Syracuse its most fits is the next one, a road clash with NC State. The Wolfpack opened the year as a top ten team in the AP Poll, but bounced from it in Week 5 and hasn’t returned since.
Here’s everything to know about NC State (17-9, 10-5 ACC) before it hosts Syracuse (21-5, 11-4 ACC) Sunday in both squads’ antepenultimate game:
All-time series
NC State leads 13-4.
Last time they played
Syracuse’s losing streak against the Wolfpack extended to nine games on Jan. 23, 2025, when the Orange fell to then-No. 20 NC State 74-66. It was SU’s third consecutive loss, coming four days after the Orange’s 92-51 defeat to Boston College, their worst in Felisha Legette-Jack’s tenure. Whatever happened in the days between worked wonders for SU, though.
The Orange entered halftime with a 10-point lead, largely thanks to Sophie Burrows’ nine first-quarter points and seven first-half rebounds. NC State clawed back with a 22-15 third-quarter advantage and delivered the final blow in the fourth by limiting SU to nine points.
Burrows scored even points after the first half for a team-high 16, while Georgia Woolley and Kyra Wood followed behind with 15 and 14 points. Zoe Brooks became the Wolfpack’s savior, dropping 19 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Madison Hayes notched her third straight double-double.
The loss was Syracuse’s most respectable effort against a ranked opponent, but it sank SU to 1-7 in ACC play.
The Wolfpack report
The early-season expectations proved too much for NC State to handle, and it finally gave way against Rhode Island on Nov. 23, 2025, the Wolfpack’s third defeat in their first six games. A six-game winning streak to close 2025 restored much of that prior hope, but the momentum was erased after the Wolfpack dropped its last two contests to Notre Dame and Duke.
That may bode well for Syracuse, though. SU has gone 0-2 against ranked opponents, both losses by 15-plus points.
NC State centers its offense around its core trio of Khamil Pierre, Zoe Brooks and Zamareya Jones, each of whom averages more than 14 points per game. The three have paced the Wolfpack in scoring in all but three games — two of which were losses.
That core has guided NC State to a 14-1 record in Quad 2, 3 and 4 games, yet the Wolfpack are just 3-8 in Quad 1 matchups, leading its No. 24 spot in the NET rankings, ranking fourth in the ACC. The Orange will enter Reynolds Coliseum as a Quad 2 opponent for the Wolfpack.
How Syracuse beats NC State
Crash the glass by any means necessary. It hasn’t been much of a challenge for the Orange so far, as their 42.7 total rebounds rank 12th in the nation, per Sports Reference. But the Wolfpack are just a tad bit better at 43.4 boards, the seventh-best mark.
It won’t be the first time Syracuse heavily relies on Uche Izoje, whose nine rebounds per game pace the Orange. Burrows will also be looked upon, especially after she came away with a career-high 16 boards against Clemson.
Who knows? If SU is aggressive down low, a few calls could go its way, and NC State isn’t used to that possibility. The Wolfpack allows just 10.7 free throw attempts and 7.4 makes per game, both top-10 marks in the country. If Syracuse gets to the line, knocks down some shots and cleans the glass, it’ll likely be one step closer to playoff basketball.
Stat to know: 9
Syracuse enters Sunday with nine straight losses to the Wolfpack. Its last win was on Jan. 12, 2017, back when it was still called the Carrier Dome. Alexis Peterson notched a program-record 45 points to lift a ranked SU squad over NC State, prompting Syracuse head coach Quentin Hillsman to dub the contest “The Alexis Peterson Game.”
A lot has changed since then, especially SU’s ability to beat the Wolfpack. Their nine losses have come by an average of 11.7 points, and the skid includes a 42-point defeat in 2022.
On Saturday, Syracuse has a chance to finally right the ship.
Player to watch: Khamil Pierre, forward, No. 12
Welcome to the ACC, Khamil Pierre. You’ve made your mark.
In 26 games, Pierre is averaging a team-high 16.8 points and conference-leading 11.8 rebounds. It’s nothing new for the Vanderbilt transfer, who ranked fourth in the Southeastern Conference with 20.4 points per game last season and paired it with an average of 9.6 rebounds.
Pierre has dropped double figures in all but two performances this season and has recorded a double-double in six of her last seven games. Alongside 6-foot-6 forward Tilda Trygger, the 6-foot-2 Pierre will likely cause Izoje and Co. problems all afternoon.
