#11 seed NC State will play #2 seed Marquette in the Sweet 16 on Friday night, which will mark the 6th time the two teams have played one another.
The first time the Wolfpack and the Golden Eagles played one another was also in the NCAA Tournament, and it just so happened to be the 1974 Championship game, with NC State winning the game 76-64, giving the Pack their first National Championship.
Wolfpack led the way with 21 points, and Tommy Burleson had a double-double of 14 points and 11 boards, with 7 blocks, which is tied for the 8th most in school history in a single game.
NC State also had 12 steals in the game, which is the most by a Pack team in an NCAA Tournament game.
The next time the two teams would meet was on January 21st, in Reynolds Coliseum. The Wolfpack won 89-76, and it was a night for the history books for Point Guard Chris Corchiani. In that game, set ACC career records for assists with 861 and steals with 276.
The following year, the Golden Eagles picked up their first win against the Wolfpack, winning 66-42 in Milwaukee.
It would be over 15 years before NC State and Marquette would play one another again, and this time it would once again be a home-and-home series in back-to-back years.
On December 22nd, 2008, the Wolfpack lost a close one at home, falling 65-68. Wolfpack Forward Brandon Costner hit all five 3-Point attempts in that game, which still stands as the best 3-Point Percentage in a single game in school history.
The following year, on December 5th, 2009, the Wolfpack would claim the lead in the series again, defeating the Golden Eagles 77-73 on the road. NC State big man Tracy Smith had a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. Point Guard Javier Gonzalez had 15 points and 7 assists, and Wing Scott Wood knocked down 4 of his 6 three-point attempts.
Can we send Keatts to the transfer portal instead of good players for a change?
NIL money makes it really hard to guess who will leave or not. Clark might be betting on a big payoff, or he may simply be looking for a starting spot. It will be very interesting where he winds up. Players transferring from State haven’t recently found themselves in a much better place.
So far, you are 0 for 1 on predictions.
The college basketball landscape is much different in this day and age. Every team is dealing with this. Keatts showed he could put together a team through the portal last season, I see no reason why he won’t do the same this season. Don’t get down on the man just because players are transferring. And please!!!! He did a 180 with the team so I’m not sure why you think he should “transfer”.