ESPN Ranks NC State’s March Madness Potential

ESPN’s Myron Medcalf and Jeff Borzello ranked 80 teams’ March Madness potential heading into the 2025-26 Men’s Basketball season into 10 tiers. They put NC State in Tier IV: Can Win a Tournament Game. Here’s a breakdown of the 10 tiers.

Tier I: National championship favorites

Purdue Boilermakers
Florida Gators
Houston Cougars
UConn Huskies

Tier II: Final Four contenders

BYU Cougars
St. John’s Red Storm
Louisville Cardinals
Michigan Wolverines
Duke Blue Devils
Kentucky Wildcats
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Arkansas Razorbacks

Tier III: Second-weekend threats

Arizona Wildcats
Illinois Fighting Illini
UCLA Bruins
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Alabama Crimson Tide
Iowa State Cyclones
Auburn Tigers
Wisconsin Badgers
Tennessee Volunteers
Kansas Jayhawks
Creighton Bluejays
Michigan State Spartans

Tier IV: Can win a tournament game

North Carolina Tar Heels
NC State Wolfpack
Oregon Ducks
USC Trojans
San Diego State Aztecs
Ohio State Buckeyes
Texas Longhorns
Baylor Bears
Oklahoma Sooners
Missouri Tigers
Virginia Cavaliers
Iowa Hawkeyes
Cincinnati Bearcats
Ole Miss Rebels

Tier V: Dangerous bubble teams

Indiana Hoosiers
Texas A&M Aggies
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
SMU Mustangs
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Vanderbilt Commodores
Marquette Golden Eagles
Washington Huskies
Kansas State Wildcats
Georgia Bulldogs
VCU Rams
Boise State Broncos
Utah State Aggies
Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Tier VI: Total rebuild = ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Miami Hurricanes
Maryland Terrapins
Villanova Wildcats
Xavier Musketeers
West Virginia Mountaineers

Tier VII: Backward step looms?

Clemson Tigers
Memphis Tigers
Saint Mary’s Gaels
New Mexico Lobos
Colorado State Rams
George Mason Patriots

Tier VIII: The (potential) comeback kids

Syracuse Orange
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Georgetown Hoyas
Virginia Tech Hokies
LSU Tigers

Tier IX: Two teams we pounded the table for

Minnesota
Georgia Tech

Tier X: Potential March Cinderellas

UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
UNC Wilmington Seahawks
Towson Tigers
Yale Bulldogs
High Point Panthers
Liberty Flames
Vermont Catamounts
Chattanooga Mocs
Illinois State Redbirds
Siena Saints

(ESPN)

Here’s what Medcalf had to say about NC State:

The latter group starts with Will Wade and NC State. A season after the Wolfpack won just 12 games, Wade takes over the helm with a new roster led by Darrion Williams — one of the top available transfers who starred for Texas Tech in the Elite Eight — in a debut season that could yield immediate results. (ESPN)

ACC Teams by Tier

Duke (Final Four Contender)
Louisville (Final Four Contender)
NC State (Can Win a Tournament Game)
UNC (Can Win a Tournament Game)
Virginia (Can Win a Tournament Game)
Notre Dame (Dangerous Bubble Team)
SMU (Dangerous Bubble Team)
Wake Forest (Dangerous Bubble Team)
Miami (Total Rebuild)
Clemson (Backward Step Looms?)
Syracuse (Potential Comeback Kids)
Virginia Tech (Potential Comeback Kids)
Georgia Tech (Two teams we pounded the table for)