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NC State Basketball

The Dog Days

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It’s cold, the days are short, and the grind is just beginning. The middle of January marks the mid-point of the season. There are plenty of tests for the Pack as the ACC schedule moves along. The next couple of games will either push the Wolfpack firmly into the NCAA discussion or it will put our guys on the outside looking in. When playing in such a competitive environment as the ACC it’s pivotal that a team stay in the moment. On any given night a team could fall, there is no such thing as an easy win, especially on the road. If a team gets caught looking ahead or staying in the past they could find themselves at the bottom of the standings.

Look no further than Duke! The day prior to their loss to NC State they were a virtual lock for a # 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Accolades and praise followed the Blue Devils prized trio of Okafor, Jones, and Winslow. Fast forward a week as the Blue Devils suffered two consecutive losses and a devastating beat down in Cameron Indoor and all seems lost. Doubt mounts as analysts question whether three freshman can lead the Devils to the promised land. Once at the top now the Blue Devils find themselves in the middle of the ACC.

State must garner enough energy and enthusiasm to capture the state of Florida in their next two games. I see the game against FSU as a must win for the Wolfpack. The truth lies in the fact that our guys have not performed well on the road. This fact must change if Gottfried and his team want to continue their streak of NCAA bids.

The Seminoles have been mediocre at best sporting a 9-8 record and does not have a quality win on the season. Yet NC State cannot get caught overlooking such a team, but must look at this game as a challenge to win in a hostile environment. I can attest that FSU has always fought hard at the Tucker Civic Center. Our group should expect nothing less than FSU’s best effort. This must be our mindset prior to each opponent. Remember quality wins are great and can help a team punch their ticket to the dance; however, nothing can stop momentum like a bad loss. Losing Saturday would be a terrible loss. As I look through the positions I feel like we are better in each category.

Ralston and Trevor must use their experience to help the younger guys realize what type of focus and effort it takes to win on the road. Following Saturday’s game State must travel to Miami to face the Hurricanes. Coming off of a huge victory in Cameron Indoor will most certainly give any team confidence and even more to a team with the mental makeup of the Hurricanes. Miami has been solid all season and have proved capable of playing with any team in the country.

It was great to knock off Duke and it was a spirited effort against the Tarheels but the Pack must find a way to push through the schedule and take each game as they come. Coach Gottfried does an excellent job of helping his teams keep a focused mindset. Prior to each practice he will write a few words on a white board and discuss it with his unit.

In bold letters sketched on the board reads, “18 Games all equal 1.

Will the Pack prove that they are more than just a team that beat Duke? We will find out Saturday at 1:30. Tune into the ACCN/Raycom to catch all of the action.

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NC State Basketball

An NC State Win Over Marquette in the Sweet 16 Would Be…

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Awesome. Obviously.

#11 seed NC State will play #2 seed Marquette tomorrow night in the Sweet 16. What would a win mean for the Wolfpack? Many things, but here’s just a few:

It would give NC State 25 wins on the year (25-14), which would be the most wins since 1982-83, when the Wolfpack went 26-10, winning the National Championship.

It would mark the 12th time in school history that NC State has won 25+ games in a single season.

1982-83 – 26-10 

1973-74 – 30-1 

1972-73 – 27-0 

1954-55 – 28-4 

1953-54 – 26-7

1952-53 – 26-6 

1950-51 – 30-7 

1949-50 – 27-6 

1948-49 – 25-8 

1947-48 – 29-3

1946-47- 26-5

It would be the 7th time NC State has advanced to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament.

1950

1951

1974

1983

1985

1986

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NC State Basketball

NC State has Won 5 ACC Championships this Year

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NC State has won 5 ACC Championships this year, which is the most of any athletic program in the conference this year.

The Wolfpack has won ACC Titles in Women’s Cross Country, Men’s Swimming & Diving, Wrestling, Men’s Basketball and Gymnastics.

The last time NC State won 5 ACC Championships in one year was 1979-80.

As far as I can tell, here’s a look at the Wolfpack Conference Titles from 1979-80:

Football
Women’s Basketball
Women’s Cross Country
Men’s Swimming & Diving
Men’s Tennis

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NC State Basketball

NC State is 1 of 4 Schools to Have Both Men & Women’s Basketball Teams in Sweet 16

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NC State is 1 of 4 schools to have their Men and Women’s Basketball teams BOTH advance to the Sweet 16, along with Duke, Gonzaga and UCONN.

NC State and Duke are the only two schools in the country to send both Basketball teams to the Sweet 16, and also send the Football team to a bowl game.

This marks only the third time in school history that BOTH teams made the Sweet 16.

Years NC State’s Men & Women’s Teams Made the Sweet 16

1985
1989
2024

Despite the fact that the Men’s team has made the Elite 8 six times (1950, 1951, 1974, 1983, 1985, 1986), and the Women have made it 2 times (1998 & 2022), in the three occasions they both went to the Sweet 16 in the same year, neither team advanced to the Elite 8.

In 2024, Why Not Us?

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NC State Basketball

#3 seed NC State Holds on Against #6 Seed Tennessee, Defeating the Vols 79-72 to Advance to the Sweet 16

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#3 seed NC State held on last night, defeating #6 seed Tennessee 79-72 in Reynolds Coliseum to advance to the Sweet 16 for the 5th time in the last 6 tournaments.

The Wolfpack led by only 1 after the 1st Quarter, but they looked like they had things under control at halftime, leading by 18 points.

At one point, NC State led by as much as 20 points in the 3rd Quarter, but the Lady Volunteers weren’t about to give up.

With 4:19 left in the 4th, Tennessee cut the lead to 2 points, but NC State might have bent, but they wouldn’t break.

Junior Guard Aziaha James led the way with 22 points and 7 assists, which were both team highs. She scored 7 points in the final 3.5 minutes, helping to squash tue Last Vols’ comeback attempt.

Junior Guard Saniya Rivers had 20 points (6-14 FG) and 6 boards.

Freshman Zoe Brooks was clutch off the bench, chipping in 16 points and 6 boards.

This marks the 16th time the NC State Women’s Basketball team has advanced to the Sweet 16.

The Wolfpack will play #2 seed Stanford on Friday night at 7:30pm on ESPN in Portland.

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