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NC State Basketball

This is Why You Never Give Up

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NC State lost 10 of their last 14 games to close out the regular season, 7 of the final 9, and 4 straight heading into the ACC Tournament.

Many coaches and many players would give up, or at least, their confidence would be so rattled, finding any success in the ACC Tournament would be hard to come by. It would be hard not to believe the critics. It would be easy to split and crack as a unit.

This team didn’t ever stop believing in themselves, when no one else did, and as a result, they have done what no one else has done.

No team that lost 10 of 14 to close the regular season had ever reached the Round of 32.

NC State zoomed past the Round of 32 to the Final 4.

No team that has ever lost 14 games in a season has ever made the Final Four.

NC State just did.

 

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Only 1 other team in college basketball history has won 5 straight games in their conference tournament to win the conference championship, and that was UCONN in 2011. NC State became the 2nd a couple of weeks back.

UCONN just so happened to go on to win the National Championship in 2011.

That 2011 Huskies squad was 21-9 headed into the Big East Tournament, and they were the #9 seed. They had lost 7 of the last 11 regular season games. The went on to win 5 games in 5 days to win the Big East Title, and followed that up with 6 more wins in the NCAA Tournament to bring home the hardware.

That’s why you don’t ever give up.

Arguably, what NC State has done this season is more impressive than what UCONN did in 2011, heading into the Final Four, and if the Wolfpack were to match their accomplishment, they will have to go through steeper competition.

UCONN played #4 seed Kentucky in the Final Four, and #8 seed Butler in the Championship Game.

NC State has #1 seed Purdue in the Final Four on Friday night.

The Wolfpack haven’t shown any signs of being intimidated during this 9-game winning streak.

Why would that start on Friday?

Purdue isn’t invincible. They lost to Northwestern, Nebraska, Ohio St. and Wisconsin this year.

‘Why Not Us?’ has been the mantra of this miracle run in March for NC State.

Really, it’s just another way of saying ‘Never Give Up.’

What happened in the regular season is irrelevant. In the postseason, NC State is playing like one of the Top-4 teams in the country, and Purdue just so happens to be the next opponent.

It doesn’t matter that the odds were stacked against them.

It doesn’t matter that a #11 seed has never made the NCAA Championship game (lowest is #8 seed).

Why Not Us?

It doesn’t matter that a #11 seed has never won an NCAA Title (lowest is #8 seed).

Why Not Us?

Everything is there for the taking, and anything can happen when you lace up your shoes and the ball is tossed in the air at tipoff.

This is why you never give up.

 

Matthew is Publisher and Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He is also the Lead Pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

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NC State Basketball

NC State Women’s Basketball To Play in the Jimmy V Classic for the 5th Time

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NC State’s Women’s Basketball team will be playing in the 2024 Jimmy V Classic on December 15th at Louisville at 1pm on ABC.

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Because the game will be against the Cardinals, it will serve as the Wolfpack’s ACC opener.

Here’s a look at the other matchups in the Women’s Jimmy V Classic.

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This marks the 5th time that the NC State Women’s Basketball team has played in the Jimmy V Classic: UConn (2002), Texas (2003), Tennessee (2004), South Carolina (2020).

The Wolfpack are 8-8 all-time against Louisville, but are currently on a 5-game winnings streak against the Cardinals.

ESPN ranks NC State 8th in their Way-Too-Early 2024-25 Preseason Top-25, and they rank Louisville 12th. The Wolfpack finished 4th in the AP Poll last season, and the Cardinals finished 30th.

 

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NC State Basketball

Date/Time/Network Info Released for NC State’s Final Four Rematch vs. Purdue

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Back at the end of July, it was reported that NC State’s Men’s Basketball team would play Purdue this upcoming season in the Rady Children’s Invitational, in a rematch from last year’s Final Four.

Now we know the time, date and network.

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The game will be on November 28th at 3pm. The game will be televised on FS1. The games will be played in Liontree Arena in San Diego.

BYU and Ole Miss will be the other two teams playing in the tournament.

Last year, BYU finished right outside the Top-25, and Ole Miss is ranked 22nd in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top-25. Purdue is ranked 16th in those rankings as well.

The inaugural tournament took place last year, with Iowa, Oklahoma, Seton Hall and USC.

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NC State Basketball

NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts Opens a Piano Bar in Downtown Wilmington

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NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts has opened a Piano Bar called Tempo 33 in Downtown Wilmington.

Tempo 33 had a soft launch on Wednesday, and officially opened to the public tonight.

The piano bar, which includes live entertainment, an expansive bar and upscale, contemporary seating areas, will only open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. It’s on the top floor of the Roudabush building, above Yosake and The Husk on S. Front St. (Link)

Keatts and his business partner Clayton Gsell had been looking for the perfect location, and finally found a home.

The Wolfpack head coach has roots in Wilmington, serving as the Head Men’s Basketball coach for UNCW from 2014-17.

 

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Canadian Transfer Ismael Diouf is on Campus and Ready to Roll

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Back on June 24th, NC State landed a massive pickup when Canadian Forward Ismael Diouf (6’9″/215) transferred to run with the Wolfpack. I have confirmed with a source that Diouf is on campus, enrolled for classes, and will start Monday.

There was never any concern here. Diouf’s delay in arrival was simply a matter of processing paperwork.

Diouf played collegiate ball at Laval in Quebec City.

This past season, Diouf averaged 10.1 points and 6.2 rebounds for Laval, and then went on to average 18.3 points and 11.7 rebounds in the Final 8 Tournament, where the Victors won the National Championship. Diouf earned the MVP title in the Tournament.

Wolfpack Assistant Coach Levi Watkins ran point on Diouf’s recruitment.

Diouf has 2-years of eligibility remaining. He was the #1 Draft Pick this year in CEBL, but didn’t sign with the team, making him eligible to still play college ball.

According to a source, the staff believes Diouf is very talented, and will play and contribute this season.

 

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