NC State wrestling is still alive for a fourth-place finish, which means NC State is still in the team trophy race (top-four finish) at the NCAA Championships.
First, let's focus on what NC State has to do … and the good news is they don't have to be "perfect." This hypothetical path to a trophy doesn't even include NC State winning every match. Here's what the Pack would have to do:
141 Tariq Wilson - 4th
157 Hayden Hidlay - 3rd with bonus points in consolation semifinals
174 Daniel Bullard - 7th
184 Trent Hidlay - 1st
The biggest point boost left actually comes from Hayden and Tariq winning third. Trent winning in the finals gets four team points, while a win in the consolation semifinals is also worth four points (because it means a wrestler finishes top 4 instead of top 6, and the wresters in the finals have already racked up so many points in the championship quarterfinals and semifinals).
The hypothetical we came up with also had Daniel Bullard receiving a MFF in the seventh place match, which is worth the same as a pin (two bonus points). Again, you don't root for that, but it's worth nothing his opponent couldn't continue his last match due to injury, so it's possible.
The other half of this conversation is, of course, what other teams do. In the hypothetical team race that this requires - Iowa ran away with it, and OK State and Penn State were 2-3. NC State finishes one point ahead of Arizona State, who is three points ahead of Michigan.
But that means those teams are within striking distance of passing NC State. ASU still has five alive — one in finals, three in consolation semifinals and one going for seventh. Michigan still has four alive — one in finals, two in consolation semifinals and one going for seventh.
Going into the session, Arizona State currently sits in fourth place with a decent lead on No. 5 Michigan (9.5 points) and No. 6 NC State (11.5), so the Pack will have to make up some points. But it's possible. Should be an exciting day regardless — Trent Hidlay is in the NCAA finals at his first chance (since last year got canceled), NC State is in the mix for a team trophy and three others are still alive, looking to score some crucial bonus points.
Wrestling starts at 11 … every point matters.
First, let's focus on what NC State has to do … and the good news is they don't have to be "perfect." This hypothetical path to a trophy doesn't even include NC State winning every match. Here's what the Pack would have to do:
141 Tariq Wilson - 4th
157 Hayden Hidlay - 3rd with bonus points in consolation semifinals
174 Daniel Bullard - 7th
184 Trent Hidlay - 1st
The biggest point boost left actually comes from Hayden and Tariq winning third. Trent winning in the finals gets four team points, while a win in the consolation semifinals is also worth four points (because it means a wrestler finishes top 4 instead of top 6, and the wresters in the finals have already racked up so many points in the championship quarterfinals and semifinals).
The hypothetical we came up with also had Daniel Bullard receiving a MFF in the seventh place match, which is worth the same as a pin (two bonus points). Again, you don't root for that, but it's worth nothing his opponent couldn't continue his last match due to injury, so it's possible.
The other half of this conversation is, of course, what other teams do. In the hypothetical team race that this requires - Iowa ran away with it, and OK State and Penn State were 2-3. NC State finishes one point ahead of Arizona State, who is three points ahead of Michigan.
But that means those teams are within striking distance of passing NC State. ASU still has five alive — one in finals, three in consolation semifinals and one going for seventh. Michigan still has four alive — one in finals, two in consolation semifinals and one going for seventh.
Going into the session, Arizona State currently sits in fourth place with a decent lead on No. 5 Michigan (9.5 points) and No. 6 NC State (11.5), so the Pack will have to make up some points. But it's possible. Should be an exciting day regardless — Trent Hidlay is in the NCAA finals at his first chance (since last year got canceled), NC State is in the mix for a team trophy and three others are still alive, looking to score some crucial bonus points.
Wrestling starts at 11 … every point matters.
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