Written by WILL GRAVES, Teletypewriter for the Associated Press Sports division.

PITTSBURGH

DJ Burns Jr. has a decision to make every game. As a forward for North Carolina State, he can either get frustrated about the physical contact he faces in the paint due to his 6-foot-9, 275-pound frame, or he can embrace the challenge and battle through it.

In the past, during his early career, Burns admitted to becoming emotional when calls didn’t go his way.

I discovered that engaging with the opposing team is much more enjoyable.

The flexible tall player with a notably low-key style of play earned 24 points, which included a crucial putback that sparked a 9-0 scoring streak in overtime. The 11th-ranked Wolfpack defeated the 14th-ranked Oakland team 79-73 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night.

After battling in the paint for over two hours and playfully exchanging words with Oakland fans, Burns triumphantly thumped his chest as he walked off the court. This was one of the factors that led him to agree with coach Kevin Keatts’ comparison of the team’s win to a boxing match.

Burns mentioned that the fans will be very vocal, particularly when their team has strong abilities. It is important to communicate and enjoy the experience in these situations.

NC State (24-14) made it to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015 after successfully defeating 3-point expert Jack Gohlke and the Golden Grizzlies (24-12) in the additional period.

The Wolfpack is set to play against either Marquette, the second seed, or Colorado, the 10th seed, in Dallas on Friday for the semifinals in the South Region.

Recently, N.C. State was not in contention for the tournament. However, within the span of 12 days, they managed to win seven games, including five in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, which secured them a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Now, N.C. State is on their way to Texas and has the opportunity to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1986.

Burns remarked that March is often characterized by teams that have earned their spot at the competition, just like his team, and that this does not necessarily make them inferior.

The Wolfpack certainly aren’t playing like one. While Burns is making a star turn, he’s hardly doing it alone. All five N.C. State starters finished with at least 11 points, and Jayden Taylor came off the bench in overtime to hit a 3-pointer off a pass from Burns that gave the Wolfpack a 75-70 lead.

“I believe that one of the highlights, looking back at our seven consecutive wins, is that everyone has truly risen to the occasion in their own unique ways,” stated Keatts. He went on to say, “That is what sets us apart from other teams.”

N.C. State had to be exceptional in order to defeat Oakland.

Just 48 hours after their impressive upset over third seed Kentucky, the school located 30 miles from downtown Detroit came close but ultimately fell short of becoming the first 14 seed to reach the Sweet 16 since Chattanooga in 1997.

Trey Townsend, the top performer in the Horizon League, scored 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies. Gohlke also had a strong showing after making 10 3-pointers in a previous game against Kentucky, adding another six 3s and ultimately scoring 22 points.

Townsend stated that they hope people are aware that they are no longer in California and are now residing in Michigan.

With 2:49 remaining in the game, Townsend’s three-point play gave Oakland the lead for the first time. This set the stage for a tense ending that had the majority of fans in the crowded PPG Paints Arena rooting for the Golden Grizzlies.

President of Oakland University, Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, was among the members present in the group sitting in the front row. She held a prop glass slipper reminiscent of Cinderella’s famed footwear.

It was not a perfect fit.

With 17 seconds left on the clock, Oakland had the opportunity to take a final shot in the regular game. Coach Kampe strategically called a play to give Townsend a chance at a one-on-one situation. Unfortunately, the Golden Grizzlies struggled to handle N.C. State’s aggressive defense, resulting in a turnover with only 1.3 seconds remaining.

“I take full responsibility,” Kampe admitted. “With only 17 seconds left, we failed to take a shot. The fault lies solely with me. I must live with this outcome now.”

N.C. State capitalized on their opportunity, taking the lead for good with a putback by Burns. This led to the end of Gohlke’s short yet impressive tournament performance for the Wolfpack.

The graduate student, who had recently completed five years at Division II Hillsdale College, delighted fans with his deep shots that often had them on their feet.

“Kampe stated that Jack Gohlke’s legend will endure and Oakland will forever be linked to it.”

N.C. State easily defeated the sixth-seeded Texas Tech in the opening round and appeared at ease as the favored team, which is unusual during their postseason performance.

The upcoming game will once again see the Wolfpack as the underdogs, at least in terms of their ranking. However, they are comfortable with that. Not many people outside of their team had anticipated their success to reach this point.

Burns wants to convey a message to those attempting to resume their support or involvement.

“Welcome back,” he stated. “Despite not having much belief in us, they may still doubt us, but that doesn’t affect us. Our team will continue to stick together. To those who support us, we appreciate you. To those who don’t, that’s okay.”

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Source: wralsportsfan.com