NC State’s guard quartet gives the Wolfpack a strong edge heading into March Madness

Wes Moore has more than 650 Division I coaching wins and 850 overall, repeatedly reached the NCAA Tournament and even advanced to the Final Four last year.

It’s a resume most anybody would want. Yet the N.C. State coach can also feel moments coming when he should turn things over to his elite quartet of guards.

“There’s been times this year that I had to just get out of the way, so to speak,” Moore said, “and let them go.”

The formula to the Wolfpack’s first Final Four appearance since 1998 included leaning on the versatile Saniya Rivers and gifted scorer Aziaha James. It’s even more on the guards this time: the Rivers-James duo is back, but sophomore Zoe Brooks has taken a leap while veteran Madison Hayes has upped her numbers, too.

“We were party crashers last year,” Rivers said in an interview with The Associated Press. “We would love to be party crashers again.”

And guard play could give the Wolfpack (26-6) that chance as the 2-seed in the Spokane 1 Region, with N.C. State opening play Saturday at home against 15-seed Vermont.

Options

Moore likes to run a four-out/one-in attack that spreads the floor and pulls opponents wide to the perimeter to create space in the paint. This year’s four guards are excellent fits for that approach, which helped N.C. State — which has lost just three games since November — share the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title while ranking inside the top 10 of the AP Top 25 six times this season.

James, a 5-foot-10 senior, is an explosive scorer capable of erupting at any moment. She’s averaging 17.9 points this year, highlighted by a career-best 36 points in February against a Duke team that went on to claim its own NCAA 2-seed.

Brooks has become a reliable sophomore scorer (14.3). Rivers, a 6-1 senior, creates matchup problems with an all-around game as a scorer (11.7), rebounder (6.4), playmaker (3.6 assists) and defender (1.6 steals, 1.3 blocks).

And Hayes is a 6-foot fifth-year senior averaging 10.9 points while leading the team in rebounding (7.1) and 3-point shooting (39.7%).

“You’ve got to be able to get the ball up the court, you’ve got to be able to spread the defense out and create things,” Moore said. “At the same time, I like having five threats out there at a time. ... But no doubt, that’s what’s setting us apart right now.”

Scoring punch

James took the lead last March, the Wolfpack’s big-shot artist with stepback range well beyond the arc and the skill to score off the dribble.

She averaged 23.4 points in the five tournament games. That included scoring 56 points in the Sweet 16 win against second-seeded Stanford and the Elite Eight win against top-seeded Texas, with James hitting 7 of 9 3-pointers against the Longhorns.

“Za loves the big stage. She’s always going to knock down big-time 3s,” Rivers said.

“That all comes with trust. Because obviously we could be selfish teammates and be like, ‘Za, pass the ball!’ But she’s proven so much to herself and her teammates that she’s built for moments like this.”

Brooks’ growth

Brooks, meanwhile, has moved into the No. 2 role in the offense after upping her scoring average by nearly 60% from her freshman season. The former McDonald’s All-American has also improved her shooting (46.6%, up from 41.5% last year), both from behind the arc (29.7%, up from 18.5%) and from the line (78.9%, up from 71.4%).

Her confidence grew throughout this season. The highlight came in a Feb. 23 win against then-No. 1 Notre Dame, when she had a career-best 33 points, 10 rebounds and a perfect 14-for-14 showing on free throws in the double-overtime thriller. It later made her The Associated Press women’s national player of the week.

“I didn’t really gain any more confidence from that,” Brooks said. “That game definitely helped my name, obviously a lot more people giving me attention. But confidence-wise I feel the same.”

What’s next

The Wolfpack’s guard quartet has combined for roughly 70% of the team’s scoring and shot attempts, and everything starts with that group. They’re particularly adept at stretching defenses from sideline to sideline, and then driving the lanes.

If they can do that in the NCAAs, it could mean more room in lineup the for 6-6 freshman Tilda Trygger, who has shown flashes of being able to provide a finishing presence off entry feeds and putbacks. Not coincidentally, N.C. State’s rousing performance in the Notre Dame win included Trygger having her best college game (19 points, 10 rebounds).

It’s an example of how the Wolfpack’s backcourt edge can trickle down throughout the lineup, offering more potential upside that could surface in this March Madness run.

“If we play our game and use what we have to our advantage,” Rivers said, “I think we can definitely be back in the Final Four.”

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