RALEIGH - In January, the N.C. State women’s basketball team inched by Wake Forest, 51-49, after senior Amber White drained a baseline jumper. Her shot came moments after senior Nikitta Gartrell nailed a 3-pointer to tie the game at Reynolds Coliseum.
On Thursday, the Wolfpack (16-11, 6-6) - a team on a three-game winning streak - travel to face the Demon Deacons (16-11, 6-6) at Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem. The teams are tied in fifth place in the ACC standings with two games remaining in the regular season.
With victories over Wake and Georgia Tech on Sunday, the Pack could seize a fourth seed in next week’s ACC Tournament and a first-round bye.
“We’re definitely pushing to get that fourth seed,” State senior Amber White said.
After defeating Miami, Boston College and North Carolina over the past three games, the Pack finds itself full of confidence and ready to close out the regular-season.
Players say the roller-coaster ride they experienced earlier this season with three loses to end the month of January has stopped. Now, they say, the team has grown closer and developed the cohesion to make a run in the post season.
State, which plays a slightly more uptempo style this season under first-year coach Kellie Harper, forces 21.3 turnovers per game. Players are also figuring out how to feed find one another.
Gartrell said they are just hitting their stride.
"Practice is perfect for us," she said. "We're in here, we work hard. We sometimes bleed a lot, sweat, whatever it takes, we're getting it done."
A buzzer-beater by Gartrell last season handed the Wolfpack an over-time victory over the Deacs.
“She’s basically kind of ripped their hearts out,” White added. “I know they have our number and in the fashion that we’ve won, I know they’re dying to play us again. ... I know it’s going to be a really tough time.”
N.C. State coach Kellie Harper said the Deacs will feel as if they owe State one entering Thursday’s game.
“We have to be sharper than ever going into this game,” she said on Wednesday. “We have to play harder than ever because we know they are going to.”
Edward joined the News & Observer staff in 2004. He is a graduate of American University and Johns Hopkins University. He covers Wake Forest football and women's college basketball for the N&O. Edward is a native of Washington, D.C. He can be reached at 829-4781 or 
