NC State to Wrap Up Weekend with Visit From Cal

Sunday, January 4

Raleigh, N.C.

2 PM

NC State

California

Photo by: NCSU WBB

1/3/2026 10:55:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Live Stats The CW Broadcast Radio Broadcast

RALEIGH – The NC State women's basketball team is set to host California on Sunday, Jan. 4 at Reynolds Coliseum. NC State and Cal will tipoff at 2 p.m. on The CW.

ABOUT NC STATE

NC State has started the ACC season 3-0, one of four teams in the league to do so, and is 10-4 entering Sunday
The Wolfpack is coming off a 74-46 win over Stanford for its fifth straight win and 15th straight home ACC victory. NC State outscored the Cardinal 42-20 in the second half
NC State will take on California for the second time as ACC opponents and the Pack trails 2-1 in the all-time series
NC State jumped eight spots to No. 22 in the NET with two Quad 1 wins and three quad 2 wins, which combined for five is tied for the most in the ACC
With one of the toughest schedules in the country, NC State has the best average opponent NET ranking (67), which leads the country by 21, and has the eighth best NET SOS, third among P4 schools
Khamil Pierre leads the team in scoring (14.8) and rebounding (12.3), while also leading the league in defensive rebounds (8.5) and offensive rebounds per game (3.8). She is the nation's leading rebounder and has the sixth most double-doubles in the NCAA (8)
Zoe Brooks paces the Pack with 4.4 assists per game and has averaged 14.1 points per game
Zamareya Jones has a team's most 1.2 steals per game and has averaged 14.4 points per game
Tilda Trygger paces the Pack with 1.4 blocks per game and has a team's best field goal percentage a .523 (58-of-111), averaging 11.2 points per game
Three different Pack players rank in the top 15 in scoring per game in the ACC with Pierre (9th - 14.8, Brooks (11th - 14.1) and Jones (11th - 14.1) and two rank in the top 10 in rebounding with Pierre (1st - 12.3) and Trygger (9th - 7.8)
NC State leads the league in rebounds per game (47.36) and defensive rebounds per game (33.8), which are fifth and second in the country, respectively. The Pack is also third in the ACC in rebounding margin (10.6)

SCOUTING CAL

Cal was picked to finish 12th in the ACC Preseason Poll. The Golden Bears finished 25-9 overall and 12-6 in the ACC, and was the eighth seed in the NCAA Tournament, playing in the Los Angeles (USC) pod
Aliyahna "Puff" Morris was named to the Preseason All-Freshman Team
Cal is 9-6 this season and has a No. 62 NET ranking
Lulu Twidale leads Cal with 13.3 points per game
South Carolina transfer Sakima Walker tallies a team's most 7.0 rebounds per game along with 11.4 points per game
Morris paces the team in assists with 52 and Mjracle Sheppard has a team's most 24 steals
The five regular starters average 7.9 points or more per game

LAST TIME OUT

NC State used a huge second half and solid defense to defeat Stanford, 74-46, to start 2026 on a high note
The Pack outscored Stanford 42-20 in the second half=
Brooks paced the Pack with 18 points, six assists and three steals
Trygger registered 12 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks
Jones logged 10 points and five boards and Pierre finished with 10 points and seven rebounds
The bench outscored the Cardinal bench 19-7 and NC State won the battle in points off turnovers (24-10) and paint points (34-24)

SERIES HISTORY (NC STATE TRAILS 2-1)

NC State and Cal will play for the fourth time in the all-time series and second as ACC opponents
The first meeting between the two teams was in 1987, resulting in an 88-67 road loss for the Pack
NC State beat Cal 100-68 at home in 1989, the lone time the two teams have played each other in Raleigh
In the last matchup, Cal edged out the Pack, 78-71. Trygger logged her first double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds and Brooks registered 14 points and nine assists

UPCOMING
NC State will head on the road to play at Clemson on Thursday, Jan. 8 at 8 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network.