The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1527657
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024 ■ 39 BY ETHAN MCDOWELL C State is back in the na- tional spotlight. The Wolfpack climbed back to the top tier of women's college basketball when it made its first Fi- nal Four appearance since 1998 — a milestone for the program. It was Wes Moore's first Final Four as a head coach after he came so close to reaching that stage in 2022. NC State seized the opportunity two years later while battling some of the nation's most storied programs. "Going out to Portland and beating Stanford and Texas [was gratifying]. And to get there, we had to beat Tennessee," Moore said. "When you think of women's basketball, those are three pretty great traditional programs. "So, we earned it. It wasn't like we snuck through the back door, although we did joke a lot about being the party crashers, because nobody really, I think, expected us to be in the Final Four." Most of last year's squad is back. The Pack returns its dynamic backcourt of seniors Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James, graduate Madison Hayes and sophomore Zoe Brooks, while also adding the nation's No. 17 recruiting class as rated by ESPN. Two of last year's frontcourt stand- outs — center River Baldwin and forward Mimi Collins — are both playing pro- fessionally in Europe now. They started alongside each other when healthy last year and combined to average 21.2 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. Together, they took up the overwhelming majority of NC State's minutes at center. Reserve forward Katie Peneueta also transferred after spending one season with the Pack. The nucleus of the Final Four team has otherwise remained intact, but Moore emphasized that the departure of Bald- win and Collins in the post leaves his team with plenty of questions to answer. "We're not the same team right now," he said. "We've got a lot of growing up to do, and as a coaching staff, we've got a lot of things to try to figure out." The Pack will face off against defend- ing national champion South Carolina in its second game of the year. Following the Final Four rematch against the Game- cocks on Nov. 10 in Charlotte, NC State will travel to Texas Christian and could N PARTY CRASHERS After A Joyride To The Final Four Last Season, NC State Looks To Keep The Good Times Rolling Guard Saniya Rivers was named an honorable mention All-American after averaging 12.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game as a junior. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS