[TomWilkinson]

The North Carolina State Wolfpack (5-0) moved into The Associated Press' college basketball poll Monday at No. 24, the first time they've been ranked this season. The bad news for State, it may not last long. Wednesday night they travel to #14 Iowa in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

I think it's a good thing to have high expectations for your basketball program," N.C. State coach Herb Sendek said. "But I think we all recognize at the end of the day, what the polls say on Nov. 28, in the whole scheme of things, isn't really important. It's early, those polls and rankings are going to change."

This is the Wolfpack’s first season without Julius Hodge, and so far things are going well. Four players are averaging at least 10 points a game and leading scorer Cedric Simmons has been superb. "We definitely play more inside-out this year, and we should, because Cedric is so dominant," point guard Engin Atsur said. "People are going to have to help with Cedric, he's gotten really big and strong. He's got everything down."

"I still think we're in the process of deciding our roles," Sendek said. "When you go through the season, those roles change. I think our guys have done a good job of coming together early in the season."

"Experience always has great value, no matter how talented the guys are," Sendek said. "The older guys have been through it. Sometimes they know what you're going to say before you even say it. At the same time, we've been trying to integrate those young guys into our plan and work on our depth."