The team understood its assignment -- win every game in the ACC Tournament, including the championship and you're in the big dance. Saturday night, the Wolfpack beat its Tobacco Road nemeses North Carolina to accomplish the mission and silence the doubters. The Wolfpack won five games in five days to get this win --only the second time a team has done that (UConn 2011).
[Ads /]
"Like I said from the jump, man, why not us?" Wolfpack guard DJ Horne said.
Even though the Wolfpack needed this win to make it to the big dance this year, it was the second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament for Kevin Keatts' team. The Tar Heels did not make the field last year and declined an invitation to play in the NIT but bounced back despite their ACC Tournament final loss to get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament this year.
[Ads /]
Get your brackets ready, Selection Sunday reveals the seeds and destinations of the Triangle teams who are dancing in the tournament:
- UNC (27-7) is the top seed in West Regional and will play the winner of a Tuesday play-in game between 16 seeds Howard (18-16) and Wagner (16-15) in Charlotte on Thursday at 2:45 p.m.
- ACC champion NC State (22-14) is the No. 11 seed in the South Regional and gets No. 6 seed Texas Tech (23-10) in Pittsburgh on Thursday at 9:40 p.m.
- Duke (24-8) got a No. 4 seed in the South Regional and will play No. 13 seed Vermont (28-6) on Friday in Brooklyn at 7:10 p.m.
No other teams from North Carolina made the tournament this year.
Look at the full 2024 Men's NCAA Bracket
WATCH | NC State's big win
NC State are 2024 ACC Champs
WATCH | NC State Wolfpack fans elated after ACC Tournament win
NC State and UNC fans react to NCSU win at ACC Championship