RALEIGH – If this week has a bit of a deja vu feel to it for the N.C. State Wolfpack, that’s because it should.

Two weeks ago, the Wolfpack was in the middle of its first ACC winning streak and riding high with confidence. But N.C. State was about to hit a road block – its first real test of the season, which the Wolfpack didn’t exactly pass with losses to UNC and
Virginia.

Fast forward to today, and N.C. State has won back-to-back games with another hurdle in sight.

Trying to keep that momentum going begins Thursday, when N.C. State faces Georgia Tech, which handed the Wolfpack its first conference loss. Then N.C. State travels to face Duke and plays host to Florida State and North Carolina.

The confidence again is visibly seeping out of Raleigh after N.C. State’s most recent victory against Wake Forest, the second of the season against the Demon Deacons.

But like 13 days ago, N.C. State will have to prove itself again in order to keep the confidence flowing.

“You always have confidence when you are winning,” N.C. State guard Scott Wood said. “I think that’s the main thing for us. As long as you keep winning, you are going to be happy and you don’t have to worry about too many things. Hopefully, we can keep this thing moving.”

N.C. State (17-7 overall, 6-3 ACC) has plenty in which to be confident about after its win against Wake Forest. The Wolfpack ran the floor well and executed on the break.

N.C. State utilized four big runs during the victory but used transition buckets to break away from Wake Forest every time the Demon Deacons narrowed the score.

“We just go out there with the mindset to get better,” Wood said. “We know that if we go out there and play as hard as we can and execute our offense and execute on the defensive end, we are going to continue to get better. That’s what we’re here for.”

Along with continuing the best conference start since the 2005-06 season, the Wolfpack will see a trend that will continue for years to come.

N.C. State, which faces Duke next Thursday, likely will play Duke and North Carolina only once per season after the new conference realignment, something coach Mark Gottfried wasn’t happy about after Sunday’s victory.

“It’s disappointing, it is,” he said. “I share the same feeling with our fans.”

Justin Hite can be reached at 407-9951 or jhite@rmtelegram.com.