NC State cracks AP Top 25 for 1st time since 2019, erases decades-old drought
NC State is back in the AP Top 25.
The Wolfpack made their season debut at No. 22 this week, marking their 1st appearance in the poll since 2019.
Perhaps more notably, it’s the 1st time since the 1982-83 season that NC State has been ranked while Duke and North Carolina are outside the top 25. That’s according to 247Sports’ Charlie Gribble:
N.C. State has been ranked No.22 in the lastest AP top 25.
This is the first time the Wolfpack have been ranked since 2019 and the first time since Dec. 27, 1982 where NC State is the lone team in the triangle ranked.
We all know what happened to end that season in ‘83👀
— Charlie Gribble (@CharlieGribble3) February 6, 2023
That 1982-83 season turned out to be very significant for NC State. The Wolfpack won the National Championship that season — still the most recent for the program.
Forty years later, NC State hasn’t been able to reach the Final Four since its magical run in ’83. The Wolfpack have only made the Elite Eight on 3 occasions since then, and not since 1986.
The 2022-23 Wolfpack appear to be a formidable team. NC State moved into the top 25 this week after winning 8 of its last 9 games, including 4 in a row. The Wolfpack are 19-5 overall this season and are a contender to win the ACC.
NC State will be back in action again on Tuesday at Virginia.
