Here are some thoughts and observations on Wes Moore's team with a big win already in the books for the Wolfpack.
Thoughts on the NC State Women’s Basketball Team’s Rotation
The NC State women’s basketball team opened its season with an impressive victory over eighth-ranked Tennessee on Tuesday afternoon in Greensboro. The win was a strong statement against one of the sport’s traditional powerhouses. In this feature, I’ll break down what we learned about the Wolfpack’s likely rotation and how Wes Moore might manage his roster this season.
Returning Trends and Early Observations
Against Tennessee, the starting lineup featured Zoe Brooks, Zamariyah “Zam” Jones, Qadence Samuels, Khamil Pierre, and Tilda Trygger — the same group that opened the scrimmage against Maryland.
Coach Moore has long relied on his starters, favoring experience over depth. Last season, the five main starters played 76% of total minutes, and the year before, that figure was 77%. Against the Vols, they logged 88% of the total minutes, continuing that pattern.
Experience remains central to Moore’s approach. Last year’s rotation featured three veteran seniors — Rivers, James, and Hayes — who each carried heavy workloads. But with the transfer portal and NIL reshaping rosters, Moore’s rotation has tightened. Historically, he’s used nine or ten players for double-digit minutes; last year, that dropped to seven.
Filling the Gaps: Who Steps Up?
With last year’s senior core gone, new leaders must emerge. Among the returners, Brooks and Trygger bring the most experience in Moore’s system.
Brooks enters her sophomore year as the team’s floor general after starting every game as a freshman. Trygger, who started 23 of 35 games last season, averaged 22 minutes per game and showed flashes of dominance, though foul trouble occasionally held her back.
Jones served as the sixth woman last year, averaging 16 minutes per game. Beyond that, the frontcourt rotation fluctuated as Moore sought consistency among Mallory Collier, Lorena Awou, Maddie Cox, Devyn Quigley, and Laci Steele — none fully secured a core role.
The Star: Zoe Brooks
At point guard, this is unquestionably Zoe Brooks’s team. She’s poised for an All-ACC — and potentially ACC Player of the Year — campaign.
In the scrimmage against Maryland, Brooks played 38 minutes and scored 20 points on 8-for-18 shooting. In the season opener, she logged 39 minutes, posting 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists, though she shot just 4-for-13 from the field.
The early shooting struggles aren’t a major concern — Brooks is adjusting to life without veteran shooters like James and Hayes stretching the floor. Defenses are collapsing on her more aggressively, and NC State’s 29% three-point shooting against Tennessee didn’t do her any favors. The Pack will need its wings to start hitting open looks to create driving lanes for Brooks.
Expect Brooks to continue to play 35+ minutes per night as the offensive engine of this team.
Backcourt Partner: Zam Jones
Alongside her is Zamariyah “Zam” Jones, a talented sophomore guard with the potential to break out. As a freshman, she averaged 7.1 points and 1.5 assists in 17 minutes per game.
On Tuesday, Jones stepped up in a big way. She scored 18 points on 6-for-14 shooting, including 2-for-4 from three, and added 5 assists. She took over during a key second-half stretch, scoring nine straight points.
Jones’s consistency will be key moving forward. If she can replicate her performance against Tennessee, she could push for All-ACC recognition. Expect her to log 30+ minutes per game.
Inside Presence: Tilda Trygger and Khamil Pierre
Trygger enters her sophomore season after averaging 6.6 points and 4.9 rebounds as a freshman, with those numbers climbing in conference play. She looks stronger and more confident after a productive summer with Sweden’s national team.
Against Tennessee, she delivered 19 points and 8 rebounds in 37 minutes, staying out of foul trouble — a major improvement from last year. Trygger looks ready to anchor the Wolfpack’s interior presence.
Khamil Pierre, the Vanderbilt transfer, brings athleticism and toughness to the power forward spot. She posted 21 points and 14 rebounds in her Wolfpack debut, playing 36 minutes and providing a true power forward NC State lacked in last year’s NCAA Tournament loss to LSU.
While this seems to be Brooks’ team, Pierre’s performance this season may be the ultimate difference maker for making this team go from good to elite.
The Fifth Starter: Qadence Samuels
UConn transfer Qadence Samuels rounds out the starting five. At 6’0”, she brings length, rebounding, and defensive versatility.
Samuels struggled from the field against Tennessee, scoring just 4 points on 1-for-8 shooting, but her lone make — a clutch late-game three — was pivotal. Even with the off night, she still played 30 minutes.
Samuels doesn’t need to score heavily to impact the game; her defense and rebounding are her calling cards. Still, she’ll need to convert open looks to keep defenses honest. Expect her to serve as the glue player for this starting group.
Off the Bench: Who Rounds Out the Rotation?
Maddie Cox appears to be the first frontcourt option off the bench. She played 7 minutes against Tennessee and provides floor spacing and rebounding — an ideal complement to Pierre and Trygger.
Neither Collier nor Awou saw game time versus the Vols, suggesting Moore is leaning toward smaller, more versatile lineups early in the season.
On the perimeter, Devyn Quigley could be an X-factor. After scoring 11 points in the Maryland scrimmage, she went scoreless in 10 minutes against Tennessee. Her playing time will likely depend on her shooting consistency.
Freshmen Destiny Lunan and Adelaide Jernigan also saw brief action. Both struggled early but Lunan settled in better after halftime. Lunan, in particular, showed flashes — she scored 5 points with a rebound and an assist in 5 minutes. Once she finds consistency, she could emerge as the team’s first guard off the bench.
Outlook and Expectations
NC State’s bench contributed only 24 total minutes against Tennessee — a sign that Wes Moore is sticking to his trusted starters for now.
Still, four starters playing 35+ minutes per game isn’t sustainable over the long haul. Someone from the bench will need to step up.
Quigley’s shooting, Cox’s rebounding, and Lunan’s ball-handling could all play key roles in easing the starters’ burden. Moore might also experiment with smaller lineups featuring Samuels at the 4 or bigger looks using Collier or Awou in the post.
Ultimately, this team will go as far as its starters take it. Brooks is the clear leader and tone-setter, Pierre provides a legitimate scoring complement, and if Jones and Trygger continue their sophomore leaps, Moore could have another special group on his hands.
With four potential All-ACC talents in the starting lineup, NC State looks poised to contend for another ACC title. Even if growing pains emerge, the Pack’s talent, experience, and competitiveness should keep them firmly among the conference’s elite.
