NC State women's basketball vs. Lady Vols prediction: Who has edge in NCAA Tournament?
RALEIGH — Third-seeded NC State women's basketball, playing NCAA Tournament host at Reynolds Coliseum, faces a second-round March Madness matchup with No. 6 seed Tennessee and former Wolfpack coach Kellie Harper on Monday (time TBA) in the Portland 4 Region.
The winner between the Wolfpack (28-6) and Lady Vols (20-12) will advance to the Sweet 16, set for Portland, Oregon's Moda Center on March 29-April 1. NC State beat No. 14 Chattanooga 64-45 on Saturday and Tennessee beat No. 11 Green Bay 92-63.
NC State has won just three games in its 15-game series history vs. Tennessee, with the last victory coming in the 1990-91 season. Their last meeting was 20 years ago in the Jimmy V Women's Classic.
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How will NC State deal with Rickea Jackson?
The SEC's leading scorer might be playing with a chip on her shoulder after All-America snubs.
A 6-foot-2 senior forward who came to Tennessee in 2022 after three years at Mississippi State, Rickea Jackson averaged 19.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game this season and her offensive flow, with an ability to create her own shot, makes her a difficult matchup for any opponent.
The Pack's own All-American Honorable Mention, Saniya Rivers, has length and athleticism that could frustrate Jackson, and Mimi Collins — one of the Wolfpack's emotional leaders who can drop a double-double anytime — will be lurking.
Defense and rebounding for NC State
It's not a gamble to say defense and rebounding are keys to winning in March. In this matchup especially, where the Lady Vols and Wolfpack shoot nearly identical field-goal percentages (43.0% - 42.9%), NC State needs to get extra possessions from its defense and rebounding.
Both teams rank in the top 12 nationally in rebounding, with NC State ninth (43.6 rpg) and Tennessee 12th 43.4 rpg).
Slowing down Lady Vols' Jewel Spear
NC State already knows about the Lady Vols' top 3-point shooting threat. Jewel Spear played three years at Wake Forest, garnering All-ACC honors twice, before moving to Tennessee.
She went 0-4 against NC State with the Demon Deacons, posting double-figure scoring in three of those games, but her familiarity with the Wolfpack's attack could be advantageous for Tennessee. And she seemed quite comfortable in Reynolds on Saturday against Green Bay, popping off three straight 3-pointers early in the game to give the Lady Vols a double-figure lead.
NC State prediction vs. Tennessee: March Madness second round
NC State 78, Tennessee 69: There's something magical about Reynolds Coliseum, and it peaks this time of year. NC State's not losing at home, even against a future WNBA star and a legendary program led by a former Wolfpack coach.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NC State vs. Tennessee Lady Vols prediction, pick for March Madness
