NC State to face nine NCAA Tournament teams

Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network
Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network

Wolfpack to make six TV appearances this season

RALEIGH, N.C. – First-year head coach Wes Moore announced on Wednesday the 2013-14 NC State Wolfpack women’s basketball schedule featuring 17 home games, nine NCAA tournament teams from last season, and six television appearances.

The team’s schedule holds its share of challenge as NC State will compete against NCAA Tournament teams UCLA, LSU, Syracuse, North Carolina, Florida State, Duke, Miami, Maryland and Notre Dame.

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) returns to a 16-game league schedule this year, after playing 18 contests last season, and the Wolfpack will play home-and-home series’ with in-state rivals North Carolina and Wake Forest.

Maryland, Florida State, Boston College, Virginia, and ACC-newcomers, Syracuse and Notre Dame, will each visit Reynolds Coliseum during the heat of league play.

NC State will face Duke, Miami, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh on the road.

The ninth-annual Hoops 4 Hope game will take place on Feb. 16 when the Wolfpack takes on the rival Tar Heels at Reynolds with ESPN2 featuring the game as part of the Play 4Kay breast cancer awareness initiative.

“There is no doubt that the ACC is the most competitive conference in the country for women’s basketball,” said Moore, the current eighth-winningest active coach in the nation.

“Our coaches and players are excited about the challenge in front of us.”

NC State’s non-conference schedule is highlighted by a trip to Northwestern on Dec. 5 for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and a visit from SEC power LSU on Dec. 20.

Before getting into ACC play, NC State will host Tulane, St. Bonaventure, Towson, Presbyterian, Morgan State, Davidson and Elon.

The Wolfpack will compete in the first-annual Florida Gulf Coast Invitational from Nov. 29 – Dec. 1 in Naples, Fla. as part of a field that includes UCLA, Mississippi State, Middle Tennessee State and James Madison.

A month later, NC State will make a trip out West for the San Diego Surf n’ Slam Tournament from Dec. 28-30 where it will play Kansas State before tipping off against either UC Riverside or tournament host San Diego State.

“We look forward to competing in a pair of great tournaments in San Diego and Naples (Fla.),” Moore said.

“The strong teams we face in our non-conference schedule will prepare us for the ACC slate that awaits us in 2014.”