This is March and Jim Valvano is smiling somewhere.
Some might argue that North Carolina State probably would have been eliminated from March Madness before the ACC tournament, but they miraculously made it there.
The NC State Wolfpack, the No. 10 seed in the ACC Tournament, defeated No. 1 UNC in the finals, 84-76, to win the conference title.
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North Carolina State University Wolfpack players celebrate an overtime victory over the Virginia Cavaliers in the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament semifinals Friday at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
NC State pulled off upsets in the final four games to win the conference, but the last game was perhaps the most memorable.
The Tar Heels shouldn’t have taken North Carolina State lightly given their recent play, but when UNC led by just one point at the half, it was a ball game.
NC State took a 45-43 lead with 18 minutes, 17 seconds left and never relinquished that lead. They were up to his eight points with less than nine minutes left, but UNC quickly cut the deficit to three points. But the Wolfpack fought back with a 13-5 run to cut the deficit to 11 points with 3:32 left.
UNC forced several costly turnovers to get back within seven points, but couldn’t take full advantage of them. North Carolina State made a free throw with less than a minute left to give him a 12-point lead, but it hardly iced it.
DJ Horn led the Wolfpack with 29 points before fouling out, DJ Barnes Jr. added 20 points and big man Mohamed Diarra had 11 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
North Carolina State University Wolfpack guard DJ Horn (0) reacts with a fan during the second half of the game against the UNC Tar Heels at Capital One Arena. (Jeff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)
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The Wolfpack defeated No. 15 Louisville in the first round, 94-85, and manhandled No. 7 Syracuse in the second round, winning 83-65.
The excitement began in the quarterfinals against No. 2 Duke University. A clean sweep would have earned them the top seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the Wolfpack surprised everyone and won 74-69 as 11.5-point favorites. This was shades of Valvano’s 1983 team that survived and progressed.
North Carolina State was seconds away from a Cinderella-like run in the semifinals, but a trio of buzzer beaters forced overtime and ultimately defeated No. 3 Virginia, 73-65. .
North Carolina State Wolfpack guard DJ Horn (0) reacts after making a 3-point basket in the second half of the game against the UNC Tar Heels at Capital One Arena. (Jeff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)
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The Wolfpack will determine its seeding for the tournament on Sunday. After playing five games in five days, he will take at least four days off before returning to the court.
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