Fresh off their second straight ACC Women’s Basketball title and Sweet 16 appearance, the NC State Women’s basketball team positioned itself for a third straight ACC title and deeper NCAA Tournament run with a few key additions and returners using the newly adopted NCAA eligibility rule.
Earlier this week it was reported that the super trio of seniors Kayla Jones, Kai Crutchfield, and Raina Perez will all be returning to Raleigh for their “super senior” year that is allowed this year as the previous season did not count against anyone’s eligibility status due to Covid-19. All three bring different things that were needed in the Wolfpack’s repeat as ACC Champions this season.
Crutchfield is known as a great defender but is also lethal outside the three-point line. Jones, nearly averaged a double-double this past season and does a number of things for the team inside and outside while Perez is great distributing the ball at almost five assists per game but can also prove clutch when needed as she knocked down the game-winning shot in the ACC Championship game with less than three seconds left.
But Coach Wes Moore wasn’t finished. The Wolfpack then added two former five-star recruits in Missippis State’s Madison Hayes who was named to the All-SEC Freshman team and fellow freshman guard Diamond Johnson who was an All-Big-Ten performer while averaging just over 17 ppg. Both Hayes and Johnson will arrive in Raleigh with four years of eligibility left.
Coming off a number one seed in the past NCAA Tournament, the Wolfpack are most definitely in the conversation for a preseason number one ranking in the country when the initial polls are released.