Where does NC State basketball stand 60 days from Selection Sunday and 2024 March Madness?
NC State basketball has some work to do if it wants to be included in March Madness as part of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
In 60 days, college basketball teams across the nation will be preparing to watch the selection show on CBS. With the madness fastly approaching, there’s work to be done as hundreds of squads compete with hopes of securing a spot in the 68-team field on Selection Sunday (March 17).
Through 17 games, the Wolfpack (13-4, 5-1 ACC) is second place in the ACC, one game behind rival UNC (13-3, 5-0) in the standings. DJ Horne had 21 points to lead four Wolfpack players in double figures against Wake Forest.
Here’s a look at where NC State stands with two months left before March Madness.
NC State basketball’s NCAA Tournament resume
NC State hasn’t hurt itself, but it hasn’t exactly helped itself through 17 games as far as building its resume.
The Wolfpack entered Tuesday night’s game against Wake Forest (12-5, 4-2) at No. 73 in the latest NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) rankings. The Demon Deacons were 46th, so NC State’s win against Wake moved the Pack up to 68th on Wednesday morning.
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NC State, which earned one Quadrant 1 win and finished 45th in the NET last season, was a No. 11 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and lost to Creighton in the first round.
The Wolfpack is 0-4 against Q1 opponents this season and 13-0 in Q2-Q4 games. Despite being second place in the ACC, State remains in search of a marquee win. As it stands, the Wolfpack’s best wins are against Wake Forest (No. 46 in the NET), Virginia (63) and Boston College (86).
According to major bracketologists, NC State is not currently projected to make the NCAA Tournament.
What’s next for the Wolfpack before March Madness?
The Wolfpack will have several chances to earn some big-time wins and move to the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble.
NC State is currently scheduled to play six Q1 games: at Virginia (Jan. 24), at Wake Forest (Feb. 10), at Clemson (Feb. 17), at UNC (March 2), Duke (March 4) and at Pitt (March 9). Those last three games could decide whether the Wolfpack will make back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NC State basketball 2024 NCAA Tournament: Wolfpack March Madness
