The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1519757
22 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN hen the members of the NC State men's b a s k e t b a l l t e a m walked off the court following the final game of their 2023-24 season, there weren't many heads down. By the time the Wolfpack reached the locker room at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., there was a feeling of disappoint- ment in the air, but the mood could hardly be described as somber. Although NC State lost to No. 1 seed Purdue, 63-50, bringing an end to the season in the NCAA Tournament semifi- nals on April 6, players couldn't help but reflect on what they had accomplished to reach the biggest stage in the sport. After going 17-14 during the regular season, the team had won nine consecutive games, starting with an astonishing five-games- in-five-days sprint to the ACC Tourna- ment championship and continuing with a joyride to Arizona for the team's first Final Four appearance since 1983. Few could have envisioned such a per- formance when the postseason began, and coach Kevin Keatts was gratified by the team's remarkable turnaround. "I don't know that I could be prouder of a group of men that I've ever coached in my life," Keatts said. "Adversity, you name it. Situations, you name it. Hard times, you name it. They found a way to win the ACC, and they found a way to make it to the Final Four. "We're going to leave here, because Purdue won the game. But we'll walk out with our heads up as champions because of what we've been able to provide." A Sudden Turnaround Given how it ended the regular season, NC State was not even expected to make the NCAA Tournament. The Pack had lost 10 of its last 14 games before heading to Washington, D.C., for the ACC tourney. It was there, however, that NC State seemed to find a new gear. First came wins over Louisville (94-85), Syracuse (83-65) and Duke (74-69). Then, in the semifi- nal round against Virginia on March 15, graduate guard Michael O'Connell hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer following a missed free throw at the other end. His shot sent the game to overtime, and NC State went on to win, 73-65. The Wolf- pack then upset North Carolina, 84-76, in the championship game the follow- ing day, clinching the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, where the good times continued. The Pack reached the Sweet 16 by de- feating Texas Tech, 80-67, and Oakland, 79-73 in overtime, in Pittsburgh on the tournament's first weekend. From there, the team moved on to Dallas and found even more success. It stunned second- seeded Marquette, 67-58, in the Sweet 16 and stormed back to beat archrival Duke, 76-64, in the Elite Eight. With each win, it seemed as if NC State PRIDE PRIDE AND JOY AND JOY NC State Regains Its Basketball Mojo Just In Time To Make A Thrilling Run To The Final Four W