Texas vs. NC State: NCAA Women’s Tournament Preview and Prediction
Here is everything you need to know about Texas and NC State in our Longhorns vs. Wolfpack NCAA Women’s Tournament Elite Eight preview.
No. 1 Texas (33-4) vs. No. 3 NC State (30-6)
Time, TV: 2 p.m., Sunday, ABC
Location: Moda Center, Porland, Ore.
All-time series: Texas leads series, 6-2.
NCAA Tournament results: Texas: def. Drexel, 82-42 (first round), def. Alabama, 65-54 (second round), def. Gonzaga, 69-47 (Sweet 16); NC State: def. Chattanooga, 64-45 (first round), def. Tennessee, 79-72 (second round), def. Stanford, 77-67 (Sweet 16).
Winner: Advances to the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio.
Projected starting lineups
Texas: F Madison Booker, F Taylor Jones, F Aaliyah Moore, G Shay Holle, G Shaylee Gonzales.
NC State: G Madison Hayes, G Saniya Rivers, G Aziaha James, C River Baldwin, F Mimi Collins.
Players to watch
Texas
F Aaliyah Moore
Just like two seasons ago, Moore has come up big for Texas in the NCAA Tournament. After starting with just 10 points and four rebounds in 13 minutes against Drexel in the first round, Moore has logged double-doubles in each of the last two games. She scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Alabama and then scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Gonzaga. She even had six assists. If forward Taylor Jones remains in concussion protocol, expect Moore to log another game of 30 or more minutes against the Wolfpack.
NC State
G Madison Hayes
On a team that boasts five players in double figures and a wealth of versatility, Hayes is the one that bears watching because she can do a little bit of everything. The 6-foot senior is only NC State’s fourth leading scorer at 10.6 points. But she is tied with center River Baldwin as the team’s leading rebounder with seven per game. She dishes out nearly two assists per game. And, she’s a 40% shooter from the 3-point. Texas won’t forget about her, either. She was recruited and signed by Texas coach Vic Schaefer when he was at Mississippi State.
Key storylines
Texas
Here’s the thing. Texas hasn’t won this many games since it won 34 games and went undefeated to win its 1986 national title, the program’s only title in its history. These Longhorns are knocking on the door of the program’s fourth Final Four, but their first since 2003 under Jody Conradt. But Texas has been here before under coach Vic Schaefer. Texas made the Elite Eight in the Bubble in 2021 and in 2022 but fell both times. What makes this team different? Experience and continuity, with a dash of one of the best freshmen in the country in forward Madison Booker. Keeping her out of foul trouble is paramount if Texas wants to advance to the Final Four.
NC State
Kay Yow won 680 games helming NC State from the days of the AIAW to the NCAA, but she only led them to one Final Four back in 1998. The Wolfpack didn’t return to the Elite Eight until coach Wes Moore got them there two seasons ago. Now, they’re knocking on the door of the program’s second Final Four. All the Wolfpack has to do is beat Texas. This is the fifth time in six years that NC State has been in the tournament’s second weekend, so the Wolfpack know what to expect.
Prediction
Texas 68, NC State 61. Texas’ defense has been the stingiest it has ever been in NCAA Tournament play. That won’t stop against the Wolfpack, as Texas will head to the Final Four in its final year in the Big 12.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
