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2nd Half Comeback Propels NC State Past Clemson 59-58 in Final Seconds

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It was a tale of two halves.

#9 seed Clemson couldn’t miss in the 1st half. They hit 51.6% from the field, and torched the net from deep, hitting 8 of 13 from beyond the arch.

NC State went into the locker room at halftime with a 16-point deficit hanging over their heads, trailing 42-26 (trailed by as much as 18).

Credit to the Wolfpack defense, the Tigers shot a horrid 19.4% from the field in the second half, and 10% from three.

Junior Point Guard Markell Johnson willed NC State to victory in the 2nd half. He finished the game with 23 points, with 13 of them coming in the 2nd half. Johnson was 4-9 from three for the game, with 3 of them in the 2nd half.

The final 3:44 of the game were dumfounding.

After taking the lead on a three-pointer by Johnson at the 5:38 mark, the Tigers stole it back on a layup by Elijah Thomas with 3:44 left.

Neither team would put a single point on the board again until Markell Johnson went to the free throw line with 2.6 seconds left on the clock.

Clemson, who only had 5 fouls, attempted to foul Johnson before he got the shot off, but was flagged for a definite foul on Johnson’s elbow while shooting.

With ice in his veins, Johnson sunk both free throws, giving the Pack a 1-point lead.

Clemson’s Marcquise Reed didn’t have the luck Braxton Beverly had back in January, missing a game-winning heave.

NC State’s comeback from 16 points at the half is the 2nd greatest comeback in ACC Tournament history.

Clemson fans can moan about the foul at the end of the game if they want. I can play that game too with Thomas’ obvious goaltending on CJ Bryce with 1:45 left, but I digress.

Maybe Tiger nation should moan about the fact their team managed to blow a 18-point lead.

NC State needed to win this game in order to have a chance of making the NCAA Tournament.

Check.

Now the Wolfpack will get a shot at #1 seed Virginia tomorrow at 12:30pm.

 

 

Matthew is Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He writes for all sports, with a focus on football and recruiting, and is in charge of business strategy. He is an NC State alum who majored in business. Matthew is also the lead pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

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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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