NC State upsets North Carolina to win ACC title, capping off miraculous week
NC State did the unthinkable and now they're going dancing.
On Saturday, the Wolfpack won their fifth game in as many days, knocking off No. 4 North Carolina to win the ACC Tournament Championship and clinch a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
En route to the ACC title, NC State knocked off No. 11 Duke and the Tar Heels, becoming only the second team (UConn, 2011) to win five games over five days to earn a conference title.
It's the Wolfpack's first ACC Tournament Championship since 1987. They're the lowest seed ever to win the tournament, too, topping Virginia Tech, who won the title as the seventh seed in 2022, per CBS Sports.
The win triggered a two-year extension for NC State head coach Kevin Keatts which includes a $400k raise and $100k bonus.
As with the rest of NC State's long week, the Wolfpack had to battle for Saturday's victory. Trailing the Tar Heels by one at halftime, they controlled the second half, outscoring North Carolina 45-36 to win by eight points.
Guard DJ Horne led the way, finishing with a game-high 29 points. Additionally, forward DJ Burns recorded 20 points and seven assists, while fellow forward Mohamed Diarra posted 11 points and 14 rebounds, including 13 defensive boards.
The focus for NC State and UNC now turns to the NCAA Tournament. Despite Saturday's loss, the Tar Heels are all but assured a No. 1 seed. The Wolfpack will likely draw a No. 11 or No. 12 seed, though they'll have to wait until Selection Sunday to find out.
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