The author of this article is Mark Bergin, a senior multiplatform producer at WRAL.

North Carolina State Wolfpack
Virginia Cavaliers
ESPN2 | Friday, March 15th 9:30 PM EDT

Washington

The men’s basketball team for the NC State Wolfpack will seek to maintain their winning streak on Friday evening as they face the Virginia Cavaliers in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament.

The match between NC State, ranked 10th, and Virginia, seeded third, is set for 9:30 p.m. ET on Friday. It will follow the North Carolina versus Pittsburgh game and will be broadcasted on ESPN2.

NC State (20-14, 12-11 ACC) has won three straight games, including Thursday night’s 74-69 upset of No. 2 seed Duke.

On Thursday, five players from NC State scored over ten points each, with DJ Horne as the top scorer with 18 points. Horne, who is recovering from a hip injury and did not start the game, has an average of 16.8 points per game and is the team’s leading scorer.

The team called the Wolfpack went into the competition with a streak of four consecutive losses. However, under the guidance of coach Kevin Keatts, they have showcased exceptional performance in Washington, D.C.

This marks the first time since 2014 that NC State has advanced to the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. NC State is also the first team seeded in the double-digits to reach the third round of the tournament since 2007.

The Wolfpack is only two victories away from capturing their first conference tournament championship since 1987.

NC State has a record of 17-18 in the ACC Tournament semifinals.

On Thursday in extra time, Virginia (23-9, 14-7 ACC) defeated Boston College 66-60. Reece Beekman, the top scorer for the Cavaliers with an average of 14.2 points per game, contributed 11 points and 11 assists to the victory.

Source: wralsportsfan.com