Capitalizing on LSU Drama And UConn’s Bad Luck, This WBB Team Is Grabbing Early Underdog Status in 2023-24 NCAA Season

This NCAA season is proving to be a rollercoaster ride for basketball enthusiasts, as no one knows what to expect next. With the No.1 ranked team losing their season opener to the best shooter in the league having her worst night, nothing seems predictable. The LSU Tigers and UConn Huskies, two powerhouses of the league are also suffering from internal drama and setbacks. Seizing this opportunity, the NC State Wolfpack is now making waves in the world. 

The Wolfpack have become the talk of the town as they grabbed the underdog title this season. Amidst all the turbulence marring the ongoing season, this team is rising above leaving the fans in awe.

The Wolfpack rises

It has only been three weeks since this year’s NCAA tournament started, but the Wolfpacks have already gone from being unranked to securing a spot in the top five power rankings. As the team lost its four crucial players to graduation or transfers, it was anticipated that they might be having their worst season ever, or would take a long time before they could learn each other’s rhythm.

But in the exciting turn of events, as a slap of making a statement in the face of haters, they have already recorded victories over UConn and Colorado. They continued to showcase their dominance at the Paradise Jam, where they beat Kentucky, Cincinnati, and Colorado by a jaw-dropping average of 27 points. But out of all the players on the team, Aziaha James is the one who stood out the most. Showing some of the best upgrades, she averaged 6.8 points per game last season, which she has converted to an impressive 16.6 points this year.

The Wolfpacks have some of the best lineups currently in the league, with players like Saniya Rivers, Madison Hayes, and grad students Mimi Collins and River Baldwin. While not all of them started their college careers at NC State, the chemistry they’ve built serves as a testament to the guidance of Coach Wes Moore. 

Read More: When Can Cameron Brink Appear in WNBA Draft?

So far, the Lady Wolves have played seven matches out of which they have won all seven. The team is all set to play against the Vanderbilt Commodores, the team who have also not lost a single match till now. Notably, the LSU drama and UConn bad luck don’t seem to end. 

Turmoil at powerhouses

The LSU Tigers started this season with a huge upset as they lost to Colorado, but despite this loss, they made a comeback and started winning their matches. However, the Tigers keep getting under fire. From Coach Kim Mulkey’s controversial remarks to sidelining Angel Reese from the games without any solid reason, the LSU empire is shaking from the inside.

NCAA, College League, USA Womens Basketball: Final Four National Championship-Louisiana State vs Iowa Apr 2, 2023 Dallas, TX, USA LSU Lady Tigers forward Angel Reese speaks to members of the media after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the final round of the Women s Final Four NCAA tournament at the American Airlines Center. Dallas American Airlines Center TX USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xAaronxDosterx 20230402_add_db4_243

But even in times like these, the players keep their heads held high as they are not stopping for anything except the win. Whereas, the UConn Huskies are grappling with a string of setbacks of their own too.

Their most recent upset is that they fell to 11th in the rankings in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, despite securing victories over Dayton, Minnesota, and Maryland. Their struggles were highlighted by losses to No. 2 UCLA and unranked NC State (now ranked in the Top 5). But one of their worst setbacks was losing their star guard Azzi Fudd, who will be missing the complete 2023-24 season due to suffering from ACL and medial meniscal tears in her right knee.

Watch This Story: Impressing A’ja Wilson With NCAA Fierceness, Angel Reese Opens Up About Impact on WNBA

As the NCAA season unfolds, fans will be keeping their eyes on these teams to see if the Tigers and the Huskies can make a comeback, and will the Wolfpack be able to hold its position.