No. 25 Women’s Basketball Set for Ranked Matchup vs. No. 14 Kentucky

RALEIGH – The No. 25 NC State women's basketball team will play No. 14 Kentucky in a ranked matchup Sunday at the Ally Tipoff. The game will tip off at 3 p.m. at the Spectrum Center, home of the Charlotte Hornets, on ESPN2.

ABOUT NC STATE

NC State earned its 1,100th win as a program with an 80-45 victory over Campbell. The Pack is now the 20th program in NCAA DI with 1,100+ wins
The Pack defeated Campbell, 80-45, to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 2023-24
NC State's season-opening win vs. Wofford, 80-50, marked the fifth straight season-opening win for the Pack and the 13th in the last 14 years, all in the Wes Moore era
Moore is in his 14th season at the helm of NC State, posting a 324-106 (.753) record and 882-275 (.762) mark overall in his 38th season as a head coach
All 12 players have seen action in both games
After two games, NC State is led by the dynamic duo of Zoe Brooks and Khamil Pierre. Brooks is the leading scorer with 19.5 points per game and 5.5 assists per contest
Pierre leads the Pack with 11.0 rebounds per game while averaging 18.0 points per game
NC State has 27 steals across two games with Brooks, Pierre and Ky'She Lunan each with six
The Wolfpack has six returners from last year's 10-person roster. All-ACC First Team and WBCA All-America Honorable Mention selections Brooks and Pierre return for their senior seasons
Coach Moore picked up valuable additions through the transfer portal in Colorado transfer Desiree Wooten and Auburn transfer Khady Leye. Both started in the Pack's first two games
NC State brought in another top-25 recruiting class with Kamora Pruitt (No. 40) and Annsley Trivette (No. 94), as well as international prospect Favour Ossai from Nigeria. All three have seen time on the court this season
NC State was picked No. 25 in the AP Preseason Poll, marking its eighth time in the last nine seasons the Wolfpack will start a season ranked in the AP Poll
The Pack was picked to finish fifth in the ACC and Brooks and Pierre were named to the All-ACC Preseason Team for the second straight season

SCOUTING KENTUCKY

The Wildcats are projected to finish fifth in the SEC preseason order of finish after going 25-11 overall and 8-8 in the SEC. Kentucky is coming off its first NCAA Sweet 16 showing since 2016
Clara Strack was named to the All-SEC Preseason First Team. She is coming off a season in which she averaged 16.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game
Through two games this season, Strack leads with 14.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.0 blocks per game
Four players are averaging 10+ points per game and nine 6.0+ points per game
Kentucky is also ranked No. 14 in both the AP and WBCA polls

HISTORY VS. KENTUCKY

NC State and Kentucky will play for the eighth time in the all-time series with NC State having won the last three
This meeting will mark the fourth straight neutral-site meeting with NC State owning a 5-1 edge in neutral-site games
In the last meeting, NC State won 84-55 at the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands on Nov. 11, 2023. Brooks and Maddie Cox each registered six points off the bench

LAST TIME OUT

NC State pulled away from Campbell after strong second and third quarters on Wednesday to win, 80-45
The Pack picked up 20 steals, the most in the Moore era, while logging 24 points off turnovers
NC State dominated in the paint to outscore the Camels 58-26 and registered 31 fast-break points compared to Campbell's two
Pierre earned her second straight double-double and the 45th in her career behind 21 points and 11 rebounds with three steals
Brooks recorded 16 points, five assists and four steals
Trivette tallied her first 10+-point game with 10 points and three offensive boards
Brooks, Lunan and Wooten each had five assists and Lunan picked up a career-high five steals

UP NEXT

NC State will return home to play Liberty on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. The game will be aired on ACC Network Extra.

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Players Mentioned

Zoe Brooks

Maddie Cox

Khady Leye

Ky'She Lunan

Favour Ossai

Khamil Pierre

Kamora Pruitt

Annsley Trivette

Desiree Wooten

North Carolina State University Athletics