DJ Horne's parents reflect on basketball journey that brought him home to win a title at NC State

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Tivona and Lamar Horne's phones haven't stopped buzzing in the past few days.

"It's pretty big, this is what he's worked for all this time," Tivona said about her son, DJ.

DJ Horne helped propel his hometown NC State Wolfpack into the NCAA tournament last weekend, scoring 29 points against favored North Carolina in the Wolfpack's 84-76 ACC Tournament championship game win Saturday.

It was the Pack's crowning moment of a five-day ACC Tournament run that saw them become the first ACC team to win five games in five days during the event. Horne, NC State's leading scorer played a huge role in helping the school to its first ACC men's basketball championship since 1987.

It also guaranteed a second consecutive NCAA tournament appearance for the Pack.

"To see him achieve this level of success to get a championship for NC State, come on, I mean, 37 years?" said Lamar Horne.

The Hornes are headed to Pittsburgh for the No. 11 seed Wolfpack's (22-14) first-round matchup Thursday against No. 6 seed Texas Tech (23-10).

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"I don't think it's quite hit me yet, I haven't slept really for two days," Tivona Horne said. "I'm just happy for DJ."

DJ Horne grew up playing on an AAU team in Garner as well as at Reedy Creek Middle School and Cary High School before transferring to Trinity Christian in Fayetteville for his senior year of high school.

He wanted to stay around, to play for NC State but they didn't offer him a scholarship.

He went to Illinois State for two years, then transferred to Arizona State and another COVID year of eligibility brought him back home.

"In his coming home, he was like 'Dad, I want to get back to March Madness, I want to get my hometown team back to the Dance," Lamar said. "The city is happy. Completely elated, finally they can exhale."

Horne couldn't hold back tears after the Wolfpack completed their ACC championship journey against the rival Tar Heels -- a moment that erased decades of frustration off the shoulders of NC State fans everywhere. "We did it for the 919," he said afterward.

His mom added, "It means more for him, it's different. It's home. He has so much support."