The current version of NC State is a bad matchup for Cal. The Bears defeated the Wolfpack (78-71) in Berkeley in one of the best games of last season. Three of their top four scorers graduated. They were guard/wings that shot from the outside.
The transfer portal landed them perhaps the MVP of the SEC from Vandy. Khamil Pierre is a 6-2 athletic post that has a fade-away jump shot and is a rebounding machine. She leads NCS in scoring w/14.8 points & rebounding w/ 12.3 boards per game.
This was what the young lady accomplished as a sophomore at Vanderbilt. Pierre averaged 20.4 points off of 49.8% shooting, 9.6 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game across 30.5 minutes played per game. SEC Statistical Rankings: #1 in field goals made (273), #2 in steals per game (2.9), #3 in rebounds per game (9.6), #4 in points per game (20.4) and #6 in field goal percentage (49.8).
2025-26 Women's Basketball Roster - NC State University Athletics
If one examines their roster, they are stacked with four post players. Three are in their regular 8 player rotation and they are outrebounding their opposition by a margin of approximately 11 boards per contest. [47.4 to 36.6]
Overall_Stats__Jan.__1_.pdf
Their roster has no seniors. The Wolfpack has 4 juniors, 3 sophs & a freshman in their eight-player rotation. I watched the Stanford blowout by 38 points on New Year's Day. The Cardinal was missing Chloe Clardy their combo guard that averages 12 ppg. The Bears have PG Puff Morris MIA tomorrow. North Carolina obtains the majority of their offense from four double-digit scorers. A trio average 14 points + each, and the 6-6 soph Swedish forward contributes 11.2 points & 7.8 rebounds.
The one factor in Cal's favor is that NC State is not an elite defensive team. They don't force a lot of turnovers (12.1). If the Bears can hit their outside shots, they could stay in this game. The Wolfpack yields 63.6 points per game! Cal needs to play tough defense and compete on the boards. NCS is 10-4 overall but is 3-0 in the ACC. They have to be feeling good about themselves after their best game of the season vs Stanford.
I don't see a close outcome: Wolfpack 77, Bears 62. Maybe Cal should assign Naya Ojukwu (6-1) on Khamil Pierre (6-2) because Sakima Walker doesn't have the agility and quickness to stay in front of her. Lulu Twidale has been in a shooting slump all season (except for Cal Poly). She needs to go for 15-20 points on Sunday to make things interesting. I could envision North Carolina State coming out flat. GO BEARS!
The transfer portal landed them perhaps the MVP of the SEC from Vandy. Khamil Pierre is a 6-2 athletic post that has a fade-away jump shot and is a rebounding machine. She leads NCS in scoring w/14.8 points & rebounding w/ 12.3 boards per game.
This was what the young lady accomplished as a sophomore at Vanderbilt. Pierre averaged 20.4 points off of 49.8% shooting, 9.6 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game across 30.5 minutes played per game. SEC Statistical Rankings: #1 in field goals made (273), #2 in steals per game (2.9), #3 in rebounds per game (9.6), #4 in points per game (20.4) and #6 in field goal percentage (49.8).
2025-26 Women's Basketball Roster - NC State University Athletics
If one examines their roster, they are stacked with four post players. Three are in their regular 8 player rotation and they are outrebounding their opposition by a margin of approximately 11 boards per contest. [47.4 to 36.6]
Overall_Stats__Jan.__1_.pdf
Their roster has no seniors. The Wolfpack has 4 juniors, 3 sophs & a freshman in their eight-player rotation. I watched the Stanford blowout by 38 points on New Year's Day. The Cardinal was missing Chloe Clardy their combo guard that averages 12 ppg. The Bears have PG Puff Morris MIA tomorrow. North Carolina obtains the majority of their offense from four double-digit scorers. A trio average 14 points + each, and the 6-6 soph Swedish forward contributes 11.2 points & 7.8 rebounds.
The one factor in Cal's favor is that NC State is not an elite defensive team. They don't force a lot of turnovers (12.1). If the Bears can hit their outside shots, they could stay in this game. The Wolfpack yields 63.6 points per game! Cal needs to play tough defense and compete on the boards. NCS is 10-4 overall but is 3-0 in the ACC. They have to be feeling good about themselves after their best game of the season vs Stanford.
I don't see a close outcome: Wolfpack 77, Bears 62. Maybe Cal should assign Naya Ojukwu (6-1) on Khamil Pierre (6-2) because Sakima Walker doesn't have the agility and quickness to stay in front of her. Lulu Twidale has been in a shooting slump all season (except for Cal Poly). She needs to go for 15-20 points on Sunday to make things interesting. I could envision North Carolina State coming out flat. GO BEARS!
