By Kristie Rieken

AP Sports Writer

SAN ANTONIO — While top-seeded North Carolina State with star Elissa Cunane is a slight favorite in the Mercado Region of the NCAA Tournament, No. 2 seed Texas A&M and its bevy of veterans could be poised to knock off the Wolfpack.

Then there is third-seeded Arizona, which can’t be overlooked in this region with two-way standout and Pac-12 player of the year Aari McDonald leading the way. N.C. State is in the tournament, which is being held entirely in the San Antonio area, for the 26th time overall but earned a No. 1 seed for the first time. The 6-foot-5 Cunane, who is averaging 16.6 points and 8.1 rebounds a game, was named the most valuable player of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament as N.C. State won it for the second straight season.

“The No. 1 seed is a great honor, obviously,” N.C. State coach Wes Moore said. “You know me. I’d just as soon stayed No. 2 and laid low. You still got to go out either way and work.”

The Wolfpack open the tournament today against 16-seed NC A&T.

Texas A&M coach Gary Blair does not share Moore’s feelings about the top seed.

The Aggies won the SEC regular season title after beating No. 1 seed South Carolina, but likely lost their shot to be a top seed in the tournament for the first time after losing to Georgia in the tournament semifinal.

Blair was a bit irked that his team didn’t get a 1-seed but said it gives Texas A&M a chance to prove people wrong. The Aggies are in their 15th straight tournament under Blair, and it’s the 10th anniversary of their only national title in 2011.

“I love to go out and show people what this team can do and what this coaching staff and I can do to put together a game plan,” Blair said. “I’m not one of the blue bloods yet, but I’m in the conversation.”

Texas A&M meets No. 15 seed Troy on Monday night.

WILDCATS BACK IN TOURNEY

The Wildcats return to the tournament for the first time since 2005 and meet No. 14 Stony Brook, which is making its first NCAA appearance, on Monday.

“There is going to be the nervousness but nervous is good for basketball,” coach Adia Barnes said. “Scared is bad, and we don’t have any players on our team that are scared.”

Though Arizona is making its first trip to the Big Dance in 16 years, they do have tournament experience on the roster after McDonald reached the Sweet 16 with Washington in 2017.