Where NC State Basketball Stacks Up Among ACC Teams Nationally
Outside of an overtime victory in the ACC opener at home against the Florida State Seminoles on Dec. 7, Kevin Keatts and his eighth NC State basketball collection have lost every game that wasn't of the Quad 4 variety in the eyes of the NCAA NET Rankings, a metric used to evaluate teams for March Madness invites and seeding.
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And that thrilling battle against Florida State now amounts to only a Quad 3 win. The Wolfpack (8-6, 1-2 ACC) sits a combined 0-6 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 outings, including Saturday's 77-59 road loss to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
So, it should come as no surprise that State has dropped far below the top 100 in the NET Rankings to No. 116 as of the latest update on Sunday, a 13-notch slide from its position before getting outplayed in Winston-Salem.
Keatts and his bunch now check in at No. 11 among ACC teams. That's well outside a projected NCAA Tournament bid in the relatively weak conference and awfully close to falling to No. 13 out of the 18 members, as the Virginia Cavaliers and Cal Golden Bears are on the Wolfpack's heels at No. 117 and No. 118 nationally.
NC State basketball hopes to begin finding answers when it hosts the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-7, 1-2 ACC) in the Lenovo Center at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday (ESPNU).
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Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of NC State Wolfpack on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining NC State Wolfpack on SI in 2024, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.