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NC State Basketball

What About a Yearly NC State Heritage Classic?

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The same thing happens every year. It’s Jimmy V week, four teams are invited to NYC and NC State is not one of them. Jimmy V and NC State are one…unless it’s a basketball tourney on ESPN, in which the Wolfpack are routinely denied access.

Why are we waiting on anybody? State needs to host the Jimmy V Heritage Classic EVERY YEAR in Reynolds. Period.

 

Bring It Home

My dad came for a visit while I was at State. We walked around campus and just kind of hung out for the afternoon. On the way to the parking garage, he asked if Reynolds might be open and if we could stop in.

The doors were unlocked with nobody in sight. The only thing on the original floor? A rack of basketballs.

We played five or so minutes of hoops. Eventually we left, purely because the deafening, echoey sound of dribbles seemed as though they were loud enough to wake up every security guard in a ten mile radius. It’s a simple memory, but something I’ll never forget.

I love that State men’s team plays some non-conference/”holiday season” games at Reynolds. But I want the games to be elevated to have a little more meaning than, “Well, PNC ain’t gonna be filled, so let’s go small.”

Reynolds gives me goosebumps. Other’s start sweating at just the name…

Jay Bilas:

“Reynolds Coliseum at NC State was the toughest place I played while in college. Configured much the same way as Cameron Indoor Stadium, but the end zones were much deeper and the sides were right on top of you. Reynolds was loud, edgy and intense.”

Hubert Davis:

“The toughest place I ever played was Reynolds Coliseum, former home of the NC State Wolfpack. Cameron Indoor Stadium and Cole Field House don’t even come close.”

 

The Tournament

It’s a four-team tourney, hosted early in December so the campus is still buzzing with students. Every team has a connection to Jimmy, in one way or another.

Bucknell, Iona, Rutgers, UCONN, Houston, New Mexico State, Maryland…All having some connection to Jimmy V and State’s magic of yesteryear. Just imagine, two games a year, in Reynolds, with nothing but interviews, highlights and memories in-between game action?

This next part is crucial (and so help me God, if they don’t wear something similar Thursday night against B-C);

State wears throwbacks.

I need bright white State on the chest. Give me old school Tuffy on the shorts. Little banners on the back neck showcasing the ’74 and ’83 teams. Seriously, this is not rocket science, this should have been a tradition a long, long time ago.

 

In Conclusion

Forget the damn Jimmy V tourney in New York, I want us to host our own in the mecca of State basketball.

Create a yearly event that is part nostalgia and part celebration. Literally pack the hell out of that place and let’s watch some basketball. There is not many figures in college basketball history, that had the charisma and respect that Valvano had. It’d be only right to bring it home.

Passionate State fan that just wants to win...something...like anything...

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JudgeSmails
JudgeSmails
2 years ago

This is a great idea, please try to get others considering it. I grew up going to games in Reynolds, we should use it more. My Dad “majored” in basketball while he was a student, and he and his best friend went to practice every day. Everett Case let them sit in the stands (the only other people there except the team) and watch because he knew they were just super fans, not spies. I love the idea of the throwback “STATE” uniforms, and it always pisses me off that we bowed to the ACC and stopped using it. If… Read more »

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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