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NC State Presser after win over #2 Arizona: Bulleted

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The Kevin Keatts era is off on the right foot after knocking off #2 Arizona 90-84 in the ‘Battle For Atlantis’. After the game, Kevin Keatts, Braxton Beverly, Al Freeman and Malik Abu met with the media. Above is the video (courtesy of GoPack Athletics), watch that if you want the full version. If not, we have the cliff notes below. *all bullets with no name are from Keatts*

  • Team did a great job staying  the course and staying with the scouting report
  • Did a great job getting and staying in presses, moving the ball around.
  • Great games from Abu, Braxton and Freeman
  • Excited for the guys. You want to continue to build the program, but this is a program win.
  • Arizona has tons of weapons. Can’t really key on any single Arizona player. Wanted to stop Trier but he got 27. Goal for his guys was to match intensity, get into transition and forcing tempo. Team 90 points and had 17 assists on 28 made FGs
  • Stuck with Beverly because he has had some good shooting days in practice and thought this would be his night.
  • Going to Italy helped this team get better. They get better every day and give great effort every day. They deserved to win.
  • Beverly: Didn’t feel any different in this game, always prepares the same. Just wanted to come out and help the team win.
  • Freeman: Comes into every game trying to win. Start to finish, play as hard as possible. Coaches and teammates give the team confidence to go out and win.
  • Abu: Didn’t know if he was going to play, but if he could, wanted to give it his all for his teammates. Thinks team still has room to grow.
  • Wanted to change the culture when he got to State. Put in his system. The question as a new coach is ‘do you put in your system, or do you play to the guys that you already have?’ At UNCW it seemed to work right away so that’s what he did here and the team is making him look good 5 games into the season.
  • Excited, but didn’t come here to just win one game. There are 3 games in this tournament and they respect every program. Team celebrated a bit in the locker room, but it’s a quick turnaround and they need to be ready tomorrow.
  • Abu: This win means a lot. Coach came in and believed in them from day 1 they could win. Never allowed any doubt and probably inside, thinks they should have won by more It’s a good feeling to be in this new culture with this new change.
  • Abu: This win just goes in the bag with the rest. There is unfinished business in the Bahamas and the goal is to finish on top.
  • Abu: Doesn’t want to compare last year to this year. This is a hard-working team and that’s what it takes to win. With coach instilling his ideologies of defense and offense and culture and family they can go anywhere.
  • Meant a lot to see his team counter-punch everytime Arizona made a run. Said you never know how good your team is until you face adversity. Team never panicked, answered the bell every time.
  • Braxton played a lot of minutes because Markell wasn’t feeling well (cramps) and he made some big plays. Put the ball in Al’s hands and he made some big plays.

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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