The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1516111
32 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Moore has been tough on the team despite its fast start. He doesn't care if a game is a blowout and is more fo- cused on helping the Pack maximize every second it spends on the floor. His approach may come across as harsh at times, but players appreciate Moore's determination to ensure that they reach their potential. They know their head coach truly cares about them and the Wolfpack program. 'This Group Is Really Close' NC State went into the 2022-23 sea- son with a core group that had just won three consecutive ACC titles. Then, the Pack welcomed three former McDon- ald's All-Americans to the team as well. But that talented group did not click and finished 9-9 in conference play. "For whatever reason, we didn't play as well, maybe together," Moore said. In the months that followed, the 11th- year coach saw the team's chemistry improve, an evolution that was reflected in its 21-3 record as of mid-February. "This group is really close for the most part," he said. "They've got their priorities in order. They want to win games and they want their teammates to do well and play well. They've got each other's backs, and it's just a fun group to be around — even though sometimes they probably can't tell I'm having fun." Collins said Moore treats the play- ers like professionals and demands that standard from them. NC State slipped up with a 73-59 road loss to Miami on Jan. 18, but it bounced back and rattled off a five-game ACC winning streak as a response. Behind the leadership of its players and the coaching of Moore and his staff, NC State was not letting defeats snow- ball into losing streaks. After each of its first three setbacks this season, the Wolfpack won its next game by at least 15 points. "Everybody saw Miami wasn't our best, but we came in and we wanted to bounce back because we didn't want to be like last year's team, and we didn't want to be that type of team that just wanted to sit down and roll over and just take all the punches," Collins said after the Wolfpack beat Duke, 72-57, three days after its setback in Coral Gables. "We wanted to be able to fight back, and being able to have [Moore] chal- lenge us, we know that it's coming from a good place. It's coming from the heart." Collins said the Pack's success starts with preparation. The graduate forward noted that NC State had practiced well going into its blowout win over the Blue Devils, and she knows her teammates and the coaching staff have the right mindset to get ready for each game with the same intensity. In her sixth year of college basket- ball, Collins is well aware that the lat- ter stages of the ACC schedule can be a physical grind. That point was made clear on Feb. 11 when she had to be helped off the court after suffering what appeared to be a serious knee injury in the third quarter against Pitt. The reserves stepped up against the Panthers, helping NC State coast to an 83-47 win. Collins said that sort of re- silience will make the Pack a tough team to beat in the coming weeks. "Everyone's body is going to hurt, ev- erybody is going to be tired," she said. "But if we can come together … men- tally as a team and just have the will to win, nobody can stop us." ■ Center River Baldwin has been one of NC State's most proficient scorers and rebounders this year, averaging 9.9 points and tying for the team lead with 6.7 boards per game. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS