The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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those three things, because that's what this group did. And we're ACC champions for it." No matter how each team is remem- bered, the Wolfpack faithful will have the memories of a pair of simultaneous runs to college basketball's final week- end. Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin drove that point home when she closed the Belltower ceremony with a proclama- tion that made April 15 "NC State Men's and Women's Basketball Day." "It's memories that will last forever," Baldwin said. "I want to say thank you to the players for making us proud, for be- ing an inspiration to all and for bringing our community together. I've never seen anything like it. It was amazing." ■ NC State entered the ACC Tournament with its season on the line. Starting with its tourney opener against Louisville on March 12, the Wolfpack understood that its next loss would most likely be season-ending. As it turned out, the Pack still had 10 games left in its campaign. It ran the table at the league tournament, then parlayed that miraculous showing into a Final Four ap- pearance. Here's a look at some of the highlights of the 2023-24 season. TEAM MVP Graduate guard DJ Horne got off to a spotty start at NC State, scoring in double fig- ures in only three of the team's first six games. Once he found his footing, however, he started to take over. Horne surpassed 20 points in three games heading into ACC play and then found another gear. The 6-foot-2 scorer logged a six-game stretch in the middle of the confer- ence season in which he averaged 27.5 points, including 32 points against Syracuse on Feb. 20. At that point, Horne had arrived as NC State's go-to offensive threat on the perimeter. He finished the season averaging 16.9 points — up from the 12.5 in his previous two seasons at Arizona State — with a 43.6 percent shooting clip from the field, including a 40.4 percent mark from beyond the arc. BEST THREE WINS 1. March 31 vs. Duke NC State met Duke in the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever, with the winner advancing to the Final Four. Although the Wolfpack had beaten the Blue Devils in the ACC Tournament quarterfi - nals, this game did not feel like a shoo-in victory for the Red and White. NC State trailed for 21:20 of game time, a stark contrast to its first three tournament games in which it trailed for a combined 12 minutes. The Pack was down by 6 points at the break, the largest halftime deficit it had faced in the postseason. But that did not faze the team. NC State stayed true to what it did best, and it ran through graduate forward DJ Burns Jr. to get past the Blue Devils, 76-64. 2. March 16 vs. North Carolina The Wolfpack won four games in as many days to set up a clash with top-seeded North Carolina for the ACC Tournament title in Washington, D.C. The Tar Heels had beaten the Pack twice in the regular sea - son, but NC State was desperate to make the NCAA Tournament. That mindset paid off. NC State never felt threatened by North Carolina and its elite talent. Instead, it was the Pack that controlled most of the contest. NC State led by as many as 10 points early in the game before North Carolina was able to catch up by halftime. A 33-22 run in the first 16 minutes of the second half gave the Wolfpack a 10-point lead, and it held on for an 84-76 victory. 3. March 15 vs. Virginia NC State trailed by 6 points with less than a minute to go in the ACC Tournament semifinal, and yet it found a way to tie the score at the buzzer. Graduate guard Casey Morsell hit 3 free throws to cut the late deficit in half. Then, NC State put Virginia's Isaac McKneely on the free throw line with less than 10 seconds remaining. McKneely missed the front end of a 1-and-1, and Morsell was able to push the ball up the floor to graduate guard Michael O'Connell, who drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer to force overtime. Burns led the way in overtime with 7 of NC State's first 9 points. NC State was able to use that to its advantage in a 73-65 win that sent it to the championship game. BEST THREE INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES 1. DJ Horne vs. North Carolina on March 16 Horne entered the ACC Tournament nursing a hip injury. He missed the first game and came off the bench for the next three. For the league title game against North Carolina, Horne ditched the wrap on his hip and rejoined the starting lineup. He played 32 minutes, pouring in 29 points before fouling out. Horne shot 9-for-15 from the floor and added 4 rebounds. 2. DJ Burns vs. Duke on March 31 In the biggest game for NC State's program in more than 40 years, the Wolfpack made a statement against Duke in the NCAA Tourna - ment Elite Eight. And it was Burns, the national sensation, who de- cided to take over and lead the way. With the Blue Devils unable to find any way of defending him in the post, the Rock Hill, S.C., native scored 29 points on 13-for-19 shooting. He was able to use hook shots, while also forcing his way to the rim for easy layups. In the process, Burns ensured that he'll have a lasting legacy at NC State. 3. Mohamed Diarra vs. Duke on March 14 Going up against Duke star Kyle Filipowski would be tough for any player. Now try doing it without eating or drinking any - thing during the day or in the game. That's what Diarra did for the whole postseason. A prac- ticing Muslim, Diarra was fasting as part of his religious observance of Ramadan, and yet he had a breakout per- formance in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals against Duke. Diarra scored 14 points on 5-for-9 shoot- ing, while also corralling 16 rebounds. The junior forward from Montreuil, France, was effective on both ends of the floor, helping the Wolfpack advance in the conference tournament. — Noah Fleischman These Players And Moments Highlighted NC State's Season After transferring from Arizona State, graduate guard DJ Horne shined for the Wolfpack, averaging a team-best 16.9 points per game. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS MAY/JUNE 2024 ■ 25