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Reported by WRAL anchor Brian Murphy

North Carolina State Wolfpack	84
4 The Tar Heels of North Carolina	76
Final

Washington

“Why shouldn’t it be us?”

NC State, who was seeded tenth, finished their impressive five-game streak in the ACC Tournament on Saturday evening by beating the first-ranked North Carolina 84-76 in Washington, D.C.

This marks the Wolfpack’s initial ACC Tournament championship since 1987 — and secures NC State a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.

“We’ve experienced significant struggles – and when I say ‘we,’ I am referring to NC State – in failing to secure a championship in 37 years,” stated Kevin Keatts, coach of NC State. “However, this can no longer be said since we have now achieved it.”

On Tuesday, when NC State began their tournament, it all appeared unimaginable. However, the Wolfpack had a different perspective and questioned, “Why not us?” prior to the start of the competition.

As DJ Horne of NC State expressed on ESPN, “Why not us?” This statement referenced his earlier belief that the team had the potential to succeed. Despite facing potential elimination just a week ago, their recent victory has brought them to a triumphant position.

NC State beat the top-ranked teams, including Duke, Virginia (in overtime), and UNC, in an unexpected series. They also made a last-second three-pointer to extend the game against Virginia.

Each opponent NC State beat in the tournament, including Louisville and Syracuse in the first two rounds, has won at least one national title since 2003.

In the future, perhaps even tomorrow, we will reflect on our achievements and be amazed by the teams that we have defeated,” said Keatts. “They consist of highly esteemed programs and skilled coaches who have excelled in their roles.”

Prior to the tournament, the Wolfpack had suffered four consecutive losses and had only won two out of their last nine games. Keatts’ tenure as coach was a topic of conversation, overshadowing the possibility of the Wolfpack making a comeback. In their initial match, NC State was behind Louisville, who was in last place, at the end of the first half.

As the tournament progressed, NC State improved, recognizing that any mistakes could prevent them from qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.

DJ Horne, the guard, expressed that we were extremely worried. Every time we called a timeout, the team was focused and determined, which is crucial for winning championships.

There’s no greater moment to showcase your top performance in basketball than March, and I’m grateful that we were able to improve at this point.

NC State made history as they became the first team seeded in double digits to win the ACC Tournament. They also set a league record by winning a total of five games in the event.

Hubert Davis, the coach of North Carolina, diminished the significance of playing five consecutive games in five days, despite the pressure to win the ACC championship.

Davis argues that too much emphasis is placed on playing five games in five days. He believes that participating in a tournament and having the opportunity to compete for a championship is more important. He mentions that when he was younger, he would often play three games in a single day.

Participating in this tournament and having the chance to compete for the championship is a valuable experience, regardless of the number of overtime periods or consecutive games played. We were expecting our opponents to have high levels of energy, and they proved us right by displaying it from the beginning until the end of the match.

Video: O’Connell reflects on our extensive efforts.
VIDEO: Morsell: It doesn’t get any better

VIDEO: After the game, UNC acknowledges that they need to fix mistakes before the NCAA Tournament.

Keatts says that the championship belongs to everyone.
after beating

NC State’s post-game celebration on the court following their victory over

Horne was absent for the initial game of the competition due to a hip injury, but led NC State with 29 points before being disqualified. He successfully made 9 out of 15 shots from the field and 9 out of 11 from the free-throw line.

DJ Burns, the center for the Wolfpack, scored 20 points by making 9 out of 12 shots, including his first 3-pointer of the season. He also had seven assists. The team shot 54.9% from the field.

Davis stated that it is unacceptable for any team to have a shooting percentage of 55% during a game. He acknowledged that the team did well to stay in the game, but they were unable to effectively defend against one-on-one situations, whether it was in the post or on the perimeter. He recognized that their defensive effort was not up to the standard required for winning games like this.

The title of Tournament MVP was given to Burns. Horne and guard Michael O’Connell were also recognized as first-team all-tournament players in the five-player line-up.

Keatts receives multiple benefits from winning the ACC Tournament, including an extension in his contract for two years, a raise of $400,000, a bonus of $100,000, and potentially $25,000 for participating in the Round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament.

NC State, an institution known for its esteemed basketball legacy, cherishes this ACC championship. The victory, obtained after an extended period of anticipation, holds significant significance. This marks the 11th time that NC State has been crowned champions of the ACC Tournament, with notable wins against UNC in the final match on three occasions (1959, 1987, and 2024).

“When you think about NC State, the couple things that really stand out to you is the ’74 [national] championship and the ’83 [national] championship, and if we could make any of those guys proud, and hopefully they are, by what we did here in the ACC, that’s a great thing,” Keatts said.

He stated, “I am proud, emotional, and excited. This championship is not just ours, but it belongs to all the players who came before us and came close to winning.”

The NCAA Tournament’s probable No. 1 seed, North Carolina, received 30 points from RJ Davis and 18 points from Armando Bacot. Davis and Bacot were both awarded first-team all-tournament recognition.

The starting players, Cormac Ryan (1-of-5) and Harrison Ingram (3-of-9), had difficulty with 3-point shots, as the Tar Heels only made 7 out of 28 attempts.

UNC entered the ACC Tournament with a record of 27-7 and was hoping to claim its 19th championship, a feat they had not achieved since 2016.

RJ Davis, the Player of the Year in the ACC, stated, “Our performance on the basketball court today was not our finest. Although it was one of our objectives for the season, we were unable to achieve it. Coach Davis emphasizes the importance of our response when facing obstacles, so as we head into March Madness, we must work together and address our errors in order to prepare for the upcoming challenges.”

Source: wralsportsfan.com