Final Four: Why not both? — Technician 4/04/24

Letter from the Editors: The Final Four issue, history in real time

Jameson Wolf, Emily Vespa Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor

When the NC State men’s and women’s basketball team both made it to the Final Four last weekend, they made history.

This special issue documents both teams’ remarkable runs through the tournament.

For the women, this win is just one in a storied history of dominance. The Wolfpack women won three straight ACC Championships from 2020-2022 and made it to the Sweet Sixteen in five of the past six NCAA tournaments.

For the men, this year’s run represents the end of a drought — it’s the first time the team has won the

ACC tournament in over 35 years and the first time it made it past the first round of the NCAA tournament since 2015.

But if you took a look at the Technician archival coverage of both teams, you might not see the full picture.

Men’s basketball has always had a hegemony in the media. The last time NC State’s men’s team went to the Final Four in 1983, Technician did a special edition dedicated to the event, much like this one. But in ‘98, the last time the women’s team went to the Final Four, Technician merely managed to spring a couple headlines to memorialize the moment.

On Monday, 12.3 million people watched the Iowa and LSU women face off, breaking the record for mostwatched college basketball game on ESPN platforms.

SATIRE

The media and the public are beginning to give women’s basketball the recognition it deserves.

Both teams’ runs reach beyond the game itself. The teams have galvanized Wolfpack fans across generations and united the University community in celebration. The Belltower has seen more action over the past two weeks than it has all year.

It’s the power of the men’s and the women’s teams together that makes this moment mighty. Both teams deserve equal attention in the eyes of history. It’s not lost on us that we have the enormous responsibility of documenting this history, and we’re devoted to doing it right.

We look forward to celebrating history being made in real time with you this weekend.

NC State basketball is winning too much

Editor’s Note: This is a work of satire. It should not be taken seriously or applied literally.

On behalf of Technician’s editorial board and staff, I pen this open letter to the NC State basketball program.

Please, for the health and well-being of our sports staff, stop winning games. Our writers and editors can barely keep pace. They haven’t slept in weeks. After our victory on Sunday, I saw our sports editor Colby Trotter shed a tear. It wasn’t of glee.

handily destroyed our fiercest competitors and staked our definitive claim to Tobacco Road. But in the midst of the madness, can we consider how we might be suffering from our success?

We don’t have the operational capacity of all the national media outlets now following our teams. Our sports editors are flying themselves out to Phoenix and Cleveland on their own dime.

speaking to the similarities between our current run and the glory days of David Thompson and Jim Valvano. Our own columnists can’t get a word in anymore.

bill is through the roof. Wolfpack Outfitters can’t keep printing new shirts with our weekly advancements. The city’s local economy is a ballooning bubble that will surely explode with another victory. There’s not a drop of alcohol left on Glenwood. It’s not just the fault of NC State Athletics, but also the specific individuals on these teams. DJ Burns, you have to stop. Your court presence too tough. Your footwork too different. Your hook shot too bad. If you win again, they’ll kill you with affection. Raleigh hospitals are lined up with babies bearing the names “Aziaha” and “Kevin.” No one is on track to graduate anymore. I’m not even sure if I had midterms this semester. While I wish our men’s and women’s basketball teams well in Phoenix and Cleveland, I worry if we can truly handle the mania of another victory back home. Justin Welch

Yes, our total and utter dominance on the court has captured the hearts of Americans far beyond our state’s borders. Yes, we’ve

No one has seen our video and photo staff in over a month. They are too busy following our teams’ victories across the country. We dearly miss our friends with cameras. As for the rest of Technician’s staff, our jobs have become obsolete. News and culture on our campus has ceased to exist. Half of our editorial board is now dedicated to solely covering DJ Horne’s every move.

Our opinion section is flooded with guest letters from alumni of the 1970s and 1980s,

Our copy editors know more about Saniya Rivers and Mohamed Diarra’s statistics than they do about AP Style. This wasn’t the job they signed up for, and I fear one more sports article will push them over the edge.

As an organization, we can only produce so many special editions. We can only handle so many requests from ex-fraternity brother alumni asking for extra print copies. We can no longer explain on Reddit and Yik Yak how our print editions are already physically distributed on campus and that you don’t need a quarter to open our newsstands.

Beyond Technician, the NC State and Raleigh community can only take so much more winning. The Belltower’s electricity

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A Day of Heritage Music

Saturday, April 13 • All Day NC Museum of History

Eliza Meyer & Guests

Old–Time and Traditional Music

Cypress Society

Traditional Southeast American Indian Longhouse Singing

Eduardo de Rosamaria

Flamenco Guitar & Dance

Curtis Pope R & B Funk

Wake & District

Traditional Pipes & Drums

Sheila Kay Adams, Donna Ray Norton, Melanie Rice, & William Ritter

Appalachian Ballad Swap with 8th Generation Singers

Unspoken Tradition

Original Bluegrass

This is a day of FREE music!

Evening performances require registration.

Full details at ncmuseumofhistory.org.

We’ve been the backdrop of NC State celebrations and countless memorable moments over the years.

NC State women’s and men’s basketball support each other during historic runs

The morning before the Wolfpack’s second-round game against Tennessee, NC State men’s basketball head coach Kevin Keatts called NC State women’s basketball head coach Wes Moore. Moore was surprised by the call but knew he had to pick it up.

“He called me at eight this morning, which I really wasn’t ready for,” Moore said. “But when it’s Coach Keatts, you answer.”

Moore didn’t go into details about what the phone call was about, but it may have been Keatts telling Moore he would be at the game to support his coaching peer. Keatts was in attendance for the women’s second-round win at Reynolds Coliseum, much like Moore was in Washington D.C. to support the men when they won the ACC Championship.

While Moore and his team weren’t able to cheer on the men in Pittsburgh because they had their own NCAA Tournament game to prepare for, every member of the team was locked in watching the secondround game versus Oakland on Saturday night.

The Wolfpack women were in the meeting room at a hotel in Raleigh watching the game, but every big moment NC State had was spoiled because they could hear the fans cheering at the bar in the hotel.

“We stayed over here at the StateView, and we had a little meeting room in the back, and of course, we’re watching their game,” Moore said. “We were streaming

[the game] so they would go wild in the bar, and then we were like, okay, something good is happening. But it was a lot of fun.”

Both squads have supported each other all year, and now NC State has both teams in the Final Four for the first time in school history.

“So happy for both,” Moore said. “They have been on an unbelievable run. I’ve enjoyed it so much. Our players on both sides really are good friends, tight, and Coach Keatts and I, I love the guy. I’m so happy for him.”

Not only have both teams felt the support of each other, but even when the men’s squad was in Pittsburgh and Dallas, it felt the love of the fans. It was crucial to have Wolfpack fans away from home whenever it needed some extra juice to pull out the wins.

“I think it’s huge since we’re not on our home court right now we have a lot of fans that are traveling,” said graduate guard Michael O’Connell. “I think when we’re at these neutral sites and you have a fanbase there for you and getting excited, it helps when you go on a run. It helps you keep it going, and then when things aren’t going well, it helps you get back in the game.”

As for the women, they claimed a topfour seed, meaning their first two games were played at Reynolds Coliseum so fans didn’t have to travel to see their squad play. Playing at Reynolds Coliseum is a massive advantage and the home court propelled the Pack to the Sweet 16.

“No doubt the crowd is a big plus,” Moore said. “Let’s face it, playing here

at home, that’s why all year long I’m so stressed out because I know every game matters so much if you’re trying to be a top 16 seed and get to host. They’ve worked their tails off all year to get that little advantage, and just proud of them for cashing in on it.”

With the support of the fans and each other, both basketball squads made the Final Four for the first time. Students and fans of NC State have celebrated at the Belltower after every win, and Keatts has enjoyed seeing the student body come together to celebrate the Wolfpack’s success.

“I love our students; I mean, our students are the best,” Keatts said. “When you win a huge game, we light that Belltower and everybody meets at that Belltower. It

was funny, I saw one video and they were like, ‘When is the light coming on? When is the light coming on?’ I thought it was great.”

Keatts understands what it means to a school when its basketball programs have success and knows the impact it has on the University as a whole.

“When we win, it’s not just about our basketball team; it’s about our school, and it’s about our students,” Keatts said. “To see us playing that well and obviously providing that spark for our entire school and our student body, who has been with us at games and screaming and yelling at those games, it means a lot. We don’t just win as a basketball program. We win as a University.”

NC State women’s basketball is Final Four bound

It has been over two decades since NC State women’s basketball has made an appearance in the NCAA Final Four. Legendary head coach Kay Yow and her team made Wolfpack history in 1998, and now head coach Wes Moore leads the red-and-white to its second Final Four in program history.

The Wolfpack (31-6) ousted No. 2 seeded Stanford on Friday night and faced No. 1 seed Texas (33-5) in the Elite Eight. The Longhorns were no easy target, winning the Big 12 Championship and boasting one of the most dominant defenses in the NCAA, but NC State has shown time and time again that seeding does not matter and defeated Texas 76-66.

Despite playing solid offense, it was

the Pack’s defense that really pushed the team to an elite level. Texas was unable to score more than 20 points in any of the quarters, including being held to 14 points during the first frame. The Pack tallied seven blocks throughout the matchup, with senior guard Madison Hayes leading the roster with three and followed by graduate guard Mimi Collins tallying two.

The Pack’s ability to convert fastbreak opportunities into points also paid off well. When Texas made a mistake, NC State was able to get ahead and put 16 points on the board with the fastbreak. While the red-and-white had 11 turnovers it was the Longhorns who struggled the most, giving up the ball 14 times.

(LEFT) COURTESY OF ANDREW YATES/NC STATE ATHLETICS (RIGHT) HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Colby Trotter Sports Editor

Erin Ferrare Assistant Sports Editor

FINAL FOUR BOUND

continued from page 10

Junior guard Aziaha James once again stole the show on the court; with her 27-point showing, she now has 22 plus points in three straight games. The first half was the James Show, especially at the 3-point line. Heading into halftime shooting 5-5 from beyond the arc, it was clear that James is the heart and soul of this team.

Finishing 7-9 at the 3-point line and 52% from the field, James elevated the Pack to seize the lead. Freshman guard Zoe Brooks also took control during the first half and made clutch free throws to help the Wolfpack finish the first frame up 19-14. Junior guard Saniya Rivers wasn’t her usual scoring machine but played a supporting role for all those on the court and finished

the match with five rebounds and five assists.

Coming out of the half with a 43-31 lead, the red-andwhite looked relaxed on the court. The Longhorns took advantage of the Pack’s overconfidence, going on 11-3 run with two minutes left in the third frame. Outscoring the Pack 17-14, Texas showed that it wouldn’t go down without a fight.

Guard Shay Holle was the only Longhorn to play the full 40 minutes and played important roles up and down the court. James and Rivers played the whole matchup for the Pack, and their presence held a steady constant for the Wolfpack, keeping momentum high even in moments when it seemed like Texas was coming back quickly.

James cooled off during the second half, only making two 3-pointers. Graduate center River Baldwin picked up where James left off though; after not making any baskets in the first half, Baldwin went on to tally 16 points in the second half. While having an imposing

presence under the basket, Baldwin was important to the Pack’s 24 points in the paint.

The Longhorns’ greatest caveat to their game was missing 3-pointers and only going 1-6 from beyond the arc. They were not given many chances to shoot in that zone though, since NC State’s perimeter defense was locked in from the first tip-off.

It has been a long journey for the ladies of the court. After being predicted to be eighth in the ACC and unranked in the preseason polls, it is clear that the Wolfpack thrives off being doubted. NC State is the seventh team in women’s NCAA Division I basketball to start the season unranked and then go on to make the Final Four.

The Wolfpack’s Final Four matchup is set. Scheduled to take on undefeated South Carolina, the red-andwhite will face its toughest challenge yet in Cleveland, Ohio. The semifinal matchup against the Gamecocks is set for Friday, April 5 at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

NC State women’s basketball set to play in Final Four against undefeated South Carolina

Connor VanDerMark Correspondent

After some concerning losses at the end of the regular season, there were many questions as to NC State women’s basketball’s chances in March. But soon enough, the Wolfpack has silenced doubters, becoming one of the hottest teams in the country. It made light work of some of the best teams in the nation such as No. 6 seed Tennessee, No. 2 seed Stanford and No. 1 seed Texas en route to its first Final Four appearance since 1998.

NC State is set to take on South Carolina in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5. The Wolfpack will look to hand the Gamecocks their first and only loss of the season. It will be the most difficult matchup for the Wolfpack in recent history; South Carolina has lost just three games in three seasons, holding a record of 108-3.

The Gamecocks rally behind potential lottery pick Kamilla Cardoso. The 6-foot7 center is averaging 14.1 points and 9.4 rebounds. She is one of the best paint scorers in the nation and is spearheading the Gamecocks’ tournament run. Cardoso is a major defensive threat, averaging 2.1 blocks per game. She is a proven clutch scorer and can get a bucket whenever the need arises.

Cardoso is their best player, but the biggest threat from the Gamecocks is head coach Dawn Staley. She took over the program in 2008 and hasn’t looked back since, leading South Carolina to 12 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, eight regular season titles, eight conference championships and two NCAA Championships.

Staley is one of the most decorated coaches in NCAA women’s basketball history and a surefire Hall of Famer. She has created one of the greatest dynasties in women’s basketball history, and her presence is undeniable.

The Wolfpack has been riding the hot

hand of junior guard Aziaha James, who is averaging 24.3 points per game during the tournament. After some inconsistency toward the end of the regular season, the lefty sharpshooter fell back into rhythm and is now the best offensive weapon for the Pack. In the red-and-white’s most recent game against No. 1 seed Texas, James hit a career-high seven 3-pointers while shooting 77.8% from beyond the arc, finishing with 27 points.

The matchups may seem overwhelming, but the Gamecocks aren’t as invincible as it seems. In the SEC Tournament semifinal, the Gamecocks nearly lost to the Tennessee Lady Vols — the same Tennessee that the Wolfpack defeated by 10 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

South Carolina found itself down by two with 1.1 seconds left. Defying all odds, Cardoso hit her first career 3 as the clock expired to keep the Gamecocks’ undefeated season alive. Had it not been for that stroke of luck, South Carolina would have a loss on its record.

Once again, in the Gamecocks’ recent matchup against the Indiana Hoosiers in the Sweet 16, they nearly choked away a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, letting the Hoosiers get as close as two points away before winning the game due to free throws. A moment of weakness such as that is key to dethroning the Gamecocks and advancing to the National Championship.

This South Carolina team will be the toughest matchup this program has ever had to face, but the Wolfpack will rise to the challenge. The Pack has proven to be one of the most passionate teams in the nation. Being an underdog is nothing new for the red-and-white, and neither is winning. This matchup has the makings to be one of the best games of the season and should be an absolute shootout for the right to advance to the National Championship.

NC State men’s basketball to face Purdue in first Final Four in forty years

Connor VanDerMark Correspondent

Why not us?

The mantra was simple at first, but has since helped define an entire movement. NC State men’s basketball has become the hottest name in college basketball and for good reason. After losing nine of its last 13 games, the Pack has won nine straight since March 12, made the Final Four for the first time since 1983 and is now a single game away from the national championship.

The win streak is unprecedented, but the Wolfpack keeps rolling despite having the odds stacked against it. The red-and-white tied the record for the lowest seed to ever make the Final Four but has the opportunity to stand apart from its predecessors. No No. 11 seed has ever made it to the national championship, but the Pack has proven it doesn’t care about what is seemingly impossible — it simply cares about winning.

After defeating No. 6 seed Texas Tech, No. 14 seed Oakland, No. 2 seed Marquette and No. 4 seed Duke, the Wolfpack is set to face No. 1 seed Purdue on Saturday, April 6, in Phoenix, Arizona. Purdue was ranked top three in the AP Poll for nearly the entire season and has just four losses entering the Final Four.

The Boilermakers are led by 2023 Wooden Award winner Zach Edey. The 7-foot-4 center has been one of the most dominant players in college basketball, leading the country with 25 points per game and has the second most

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

NC State huddles together while Duke guard Jared McCain takes free throws for a technical foul on the NC State bench during the NCAA Tournament Elite 8 game at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Sunday, March 31, 2024. NC State beat Duke 76-64 to advance to the Final Four.

rebounds in the nation. His lanky frame allows him to tower over defenders and thrive in the paint. This also allows Edey to draw an extraordinary amount of fouls — which is why he leads the nation in free throws.

Edey is coming off a career-high 40-point performance in the Elite Eight against Tennessee, a game in which he also recorded 16 rebounds. Edey shot 22 free throws while making 14, scoring over half of his team’s points.

Junior forward Mohamed Diarra will most

likely be the primary defender against Edey. The Frenchman is the Pack’s best defensive big man and has the best chance to consistently defend Edey’s layups. Diarra has been the most improved player for the Wolfpack, averaging 10.5 points and nearly 12 rebounds per game during the NCAA Tournament.

Diarra has been fasting for Ramadan during the postseason, and it will play a role in Saturday’s matchup. Tip-off is set for 3:09 p.m. local time, meaning Diarra will play the entire

game with no sustenance, and with Edey being the most difficult matchup the team has faced, he’ll need to draw on as much strength as possible.

Because Edey draws so many fouls, look for junior forward Ben Middlebrooks to have an increased role in case Diarra finds himself in foul trouble. Middlebrooks has been playing the best basketball of his career during the postseason, recording a career-high 21 points against Texas Tech and swatting three shots against Duke.

While Diarra and Middlebrooks will be working on Edey defensively, graduate forward DJ Burns Jr. will most likely draw Edey’s attention. Burns has put the nation on notice during the postseason, scoring 20 or more points in two of his last three matchups, including a 29-point performance against Duke in the Elite Eight. His sheer size, impeccable footwork and bubbly personality have made Burns the star of the tournament, quickly becoming a fan favorite across the country. Fans have clamored for this matchup. Each player differently defines the word size, but make no mistake: they are two of the most offensively talented players in the nation. Burns should give Edey one of the toughest matchups of the season. Burns’ footwork is second to none, and he has shown he can make difficult shots from nearly anywhere inside the 3-point line. Look for Burns to try to draw fouls against Edey. If the Pack can get him in foul trouble, Purdue will have a tough time on both sides without its star big man.

How NC State men’s basketball stacks up against past Cinderella champions

Noah Teague Assistant Sports Editor

Without a doubt, NC State men’s basketball is writing one of college basketball’s greatest stories this postseason. No ACC team had ever won five games in five days in the conference tournament until NC State did. And the Pack wasn’t satisfied with just one championship — it ripped off four straight victories to win the South Regional championship and reach the Final Four as a No. 11 seed. So, how does this historic team stack up with past NCAA Tournament Cinderellas?

One of the most memorable Cinderella teams from previous seasons is NC State’s own 1983 national championship team. Like this season’s edition of the Wolfpack, the 1983 squad entered the ACC Tournament with 17 wins and no sure chance of making the NCAA Tournament.

The red-and-white went on to win the 1983 ACC Tournament, with wins over Wake Forest, North Carolina and Virginia. From there, the Pack embarked on a wild journey

through the tournament, capped by a stunning upset over Houston. The Cougars were a juggernaut led by center Hakeem Olajuwon. Against all odds, the Wolfpack slayed the giant and defeated Houston on a last-second bucket from forward Lorenzo Charles.

In 1985, as a No. 8 seed, Villanova became the lowestseeded team to ever win a national championship. Villanova had its own monster standing in between it and a national championship: the Georgetown Hoyas. Like Houston in 1983, Georgetown had a hall of fame center in Patrick Ewing. While Ewing was a future NBA Star and All-American, he was outplayed by the Wildcats’ center Ed Pinckney.

The ‘80s had one more Cinderella champion — the 1988 Kansas Jayhawks. This group is often remembered as the national champion with 11 losses, the most by a team that has won it all. The Jayhawks charged through the NCAA Tournament until they ran into top-seeded Oklahoma, with the Sooners’ star-studded cast led by center Stacey King.

continued page 15

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Junior forward Ben Middlebrooks lifts the South Regional trophy after winning the NCAA Tournament Elite 8 game against Duke at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Sunday, March 31, 2024. Middlebrooks scored seven points and made five rebounds. NC State beat Duke 76-64 to advance to the Final Four. CINDERELLA

How Kevin Keatts became a winner

Colby Trotter Sports Editor

Not once, but twice has a NC State men’s basketball head coach climbed a ladder to cut down a net during the month of March. It’s an image no one thought they’d see once, let alone twice, after NC State finished the regular season 17-14 and had more conference losses than wins.

Keatts went from the most hated man among the fan base to now being one of the most beloved figures among Wolfpack fans for bringing NC State basketball back to prominence after over 40 years of suffering.

What makes this run with Keatts leading the way even more incredible is the way his tenure started with the Wolfpack. He was hired after the 2016-17 season and had to immediately deal with recruiting violations from the previous coaching staff.

When Keatts was preparing for his opening press conference where he famously said “Kevin Keatts is a winner,” he was told the FBI was investigating NC State for violations committed by the previous staff in its recruitment of Dennis Smith Jr.

Despite the breaching of rules occurring with the previous head coach, numerous sanctions were placed on the team that made it harder for Keatts to recruit players. It also goes without saying it’s a bad look for the program, making it even tougher for Keatts to build a culture with an investigation hanging over his head.

Somehow Keatts managed to take his team to the NCAA Tournament his first season in Raleigh even with the drama surrounding NC State. The next season, the Wolfpack missed the tournament despite having a NET rating of 33 which was the highest rating to ever miss the tournament until this season when Indiana State didn’t make it with a 29 rating.

NC State was well on its way to a tournament bid in his third season, but COVID-19 ended any hopes of March Madness. In Keatts first three seasons, he rebuilt a program that was 15-17 the season before he inherited it while being investigated the entire time.

He was put at a major disadvantage and still put a winning product on the court with limited resources at his disposal.

“I went through four years of not getting a recruit, losing recruits, not knowing what the NCAA was going to do to us,” Keatts said. “We walked the program through it as champions and never complained. … So we’ve had some of those bad lucks. And it’s now paying off at the end because at the end of the day we have built a program.”

Even with the early success and an investi-

gation hanging over his head, Wolfpack fans were ready to move on from Keatts during the middle of this season. They felt like he had run his course as the Wolfpack’s head coach and his tactics were no longer effective with the players on his team.

With his back against the wall, needing to win five games in five days to be in good graces with NC State, Keatts put on the best coaching clinic of his career to lead the Wolfpack to an ACC Championship.

All of the sudden there was a belief among the players that they could not only win the conference title but make noise in the NCAA Tournament. While his team may have wavered during its stretch of losing 10 of its final 14 games of the season, Keatts stayed optimistic and instilled belief in his team.

“Just to know that all the ups and downs we had in our season and when it could have been easy to quit, I felt like he was the main one that kept us all together,” said graduate guard DJ Horne. “[He] kept the outlook on our whole season very positive and gave us a lot of confidence going into that ACC Tournament.”

Not only did Keatts find a way to make his team believe, he also outcoached every man standing across from him during this run. He has had a counter for everything thrown at his team. Sometimes the Wolfpack has had to rely on its defense like it did in the

first half against Duke or it needed to win a track meet like it did against UNC-Chapel Hill in the ACC Championship game.

No matter what the matchup has been, Keatts has devised the perfect game plan for nine straight games.

Hargrave Military Academy is where Keatts learned how to coach. He wasn’t just the coach there either, he drove the bus, swept the floor and washed clothes during his time at Hargrave. But if you ask him, that experience is one of the main reasons his team is in the Final Four.

“During that time, it wasn’t a national media thing,” Keatts said. “I could call timeouts. I could draw up plays. I could make practice plans. If I made a mistake, nobody cared, … but I could lean on that because it helped me get better.”

After a crash course in coaching at Hargrave, Keatts joined Rick Pitino’s staff in Louisville. During his time with the Cardinals, they made the Final Four twice, including a National Championship in 2013 that was later vacated.

With Pitino, Keatts became a mastermind with the X’s and O’s. When he would do scouting reports for Pitino, he had to memorize 30 plays and present it to the team.

“That’s also helped me because now I can remember, if I’m in a huddle, I can remember a play that back in the Big East when Pittsburgh ran a play five years ago,” Keatts

said. “And if I want to present that play to my team, I can do that stuff.”

Keatts hasn’t been afraid to adapt his coaching style either. Before he recruited graduate forward DJ Burns, he typically played with two forwards that weren’t known for posting up. Despite Burns not fitting his coaching scheme, Keatts adjusted his philosophy, and now he’s heading to the Final Four with Burns as his best player.

“When DJ hit the transfer portal, I was like, man, I got to change,” Keatts said. “I’ve never thrown the ball inside as much as I have in the last couple of years.”

There’s no question that this is the best coaching job of Keatts career. From fired to the Final Four. When asked if this is the best job he’s done, he says he doesn’t know and gives credit to his team for making his job easy.

“It’s hard to say if it’s my best. You would have to ask somebody else,” Keatts said. “They make it easy for me to wake up every morning and come to practice and work hard with them because of who they are as personalities. … I have learned more basketball from these guys than I learned in my entire career.”

Now, with a team that has supreme confidence instilled by its coach, NC State will look to become the lowest seed to ever win a National Championship. That’s a sentence I never thought I’d write.

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Head coach Kevin Keatts swings the net in the air after the NCAA Tournament Elite 8 game against Duke at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Sunday, March 31, 2024. NC State beat Duke 76-64 to advance to the Final Four.

COLUMN

Mohamed Diarra brings the energy to NC State men’s basketball

Trotter Sports Editor

It wasn’t until late in the second half of Saturday’s Sweet Sixteen matchup that junior forward Mohamed Diarra ate food and drank water for the first time in hours. The sun went down at 7:46 p.m., but Diarra, who’s observing Ramadan, didn’t check out of the game until a couple of minutes later, when he broke fast with a banana and an applesauce squeeze packet.

Saturday’s game was the first since the first round of the ACC Tournament that Diarra went without sustenance for nearly the entire game. Since the game was in Dallas, Texas, the 6:09 p.m. local tip-off time forced him to go most of the game without having food or liquids since before dawn.

In the first game Diarra played during Ramadan, against Louisville, he had the least productive game of his postseason: He was limited to just four points and four rebounds in 18 minutes of game time.

Now that he’s been going without food or water for over three weeks when the sun is up he was more prepared against Marquette. The 6-foot-10 forward dominated the Golden Eagles, snatching 15 rebounds to go along with 11 points in his fifth double-double in the last six games.

Diarra did the bulk of his work in the first half, when he had nothing to fuel him. He pulled down 11 rebounds in the first 20 minutes. When he grabbed his 11th board, he had more rebounds than Marquette did as a team.

While fasting during this postseason stretch, Diarra’s been the hardest working player on the court, fighting for every rebound while hounding whoever he’s guarding on defense. It’s a testament to his commitment to the game of basketball and his religion.

“He has stayed true to his religion. He’s stayed true to our basketball team,” said head coach Kevin Keatts. “We’re talking about a

CINDERELLA

continued from page 13

While Oklahoma had taken both regular season matchups, the Jayhawks won a nail-biter in the National Championship.

More recently, the UConn Huskies won it all in 2011 as underdogs. The Huskies closed the regular season cold, losing four of their final five games. But just like this season’s Wolfpack squad, the Huskies won five games in five days

“When you have a player that’s giving it their all, it makes you want to have their back too,” said graduate guard Michael O’Connell. “Knowing that he’s going out there fighting for us is unbelievable that we can all feed off that energy.”

Diarra has reached a status where greatness is expected. He is expected to put up double-doubles night in and night out. His coach didn’t even realize the masterclass his starting forward was putting on.

“What happens is when good players start getting great stats, you don’t even realize they have it until the end of the game,” Keatts said. “He’s been so valuable. Double-doubles and playing great defense, and we’re asking so much of him. I’m proud of him.”

NC State’s miraculous postseason run has been characterized by its never-give-up attitude. There isn’t a player that embodies that mentality more than Diarra.

In the ACC tournament, the Wolfpack needed to win its fifth game in five days against No.1 seed UNC-Chapel Hill in the ACC final to make the NCAA Tournament. That was no big deal for Diarra, who recorded 11 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks and three steals in the win.

young man that gives us everything every time he steps on the court.”

Throughout NC State’s eight-game win streak, different players step up every game. Junior forward Ben Middlebrooks led the team in scoring in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, graduate forward DJ Burns dominated in the second round against Oakland, but there’s been one constant during this stretch.

You know what you’re going to get from Diarra every time he steps on the court. He’s going to crash the glass harder than anyone on the court and play with unmatched pas-

to clinch their conference’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament. Once in the Big Dance, UConn faced a favorable path to the championship.

For NC State to join these Cinderellas as national champions, it’ll have to shock the world again. The Wolfpack is slated to play Purdue in the Final Four. The Boilermakers are the top seed in the Midwest Regional and feature 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey. Purdue’s star big man is the reigning national college player of the year, a first-team All-American and the all-

sion. It’s no surprise he’s been the most consistent player given his strict routine.

During the game against Marquette, CBS showed a graphic of Diarra’s schedule. He wakes up at 5:30 a.m. and then eats breakfast while getting liquid IVs before the sun comes up. After the sunrise, the team monitors him the rest of the day and makes sure he’s mainly resting before tip-off. Then when the sun sets, he downs a glucose gel, a banana and fluids.

There’s no doubt that his routine off the court has led to success on it. Diarra’s dedication to his craft inspires his teammates to play harder.

time rebounding leader for the Boilermakers.

If the Pack defeats the giant that is Edey’s Purdue squad on its way to the championship game, it’ll be rewarded with a matchup against either UConn or Alabama. Between the two, UConn is the more likely opponent and would certainly qualify as a monster. The Huskies are the defending National Champions and are on an 11-game winning streak. A win over the Huskies would send shockwaves across the country, stunning fans nationally the same way NC State’s win over Houston did in 1983.

The Pack needed Diarra to play 35 of the 40 minutes against the Golden Eagles without the ability to fuel up until late in the second half. Once again, that was no problem for Diarra, who led the team in rebounding.

The Wolfpack’s human energy drink has been the catalyst behind this no-quit mentality of the Pack. With Diarra leading the charge, NC State will keep trying to prove everyone wrong and continue its improbable run.

“Going into every game, we’re pretty much the underdogs,” said graduate guard Casey Morsell. “We have that conversation heading into every game about trying to embrace everyone doubting us and just proving everyone wrong and going into the locker room and celebrating.”

There are many similarities with previous Cinderellas and this year’s Wolfpack squad. To finish the job, NC State will have to do what past underdogs have done and bring down the giant. However, in a way, the Wolfpack’s path to the championship would be more impressive than past champions. It has faced elimination for nine straight games, defeated a No. 1 seed in the ACC championship and likely would have to defeat two more top seeds. With two more wins, NC State would cement its legacy as the most impressive Cinderella in NCAA history.

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Junior forward Mohamed Diarra guards the NC State basket during the NCAA Tournament Elite 8 game against Duke at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Sunday, March 31, 2024. Diarra made seven rebounds and scored three points. NC State beat Duke 76-64 to advance to the Final Four.

Colby

Casey Morsell and DJ Horne at The Raleigh Times

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ANALYSIS

Wes Moore’s Final Four secret recipe

NC State women’s basketball head coach Wes Moore has been around for decades. With 34 seasons of head coaching under his belt, you’d think he would know the script for every basketball game and season.

One thing he might not have imagined was ending up in the Final Four after last year’s disappointing season — and neither did most others. NC State started the season unranked in the preseason AP Top 25 poll and at a meager eighth in ACC preseason polls, the Wolfpack was picked to finish eighth.

Take this doubt, mix it with some bitter taste and add a pinch of vagabond ladies of the court, and you’ll end up with Wes Moore’s cookbook — and that man whipped up something really sweet.

The preparation time for this recipe takes a year, and the first sprinkle of ingredients starts with the 2022-23 roster.

The roster wasn’t necessarily bad — the team of mostly seniors and graduates broke even in ACC play and finished with a 20-12 record. After getting a bid into the NCAA Tournament, the team was unable to make it past the first round, a long call away from the Elite Eight appearance a year prior.

The thing that made last season inherently disappointing was the remarkable run Wolfpack women’s basketball had from 2019-2022. With the program’s first ACC Title — along with two more back-to-back — and an 82-11 record, it was looking like the only place the Pack could go was up. So what changed?

For starters, there were multiple roster changes due to the transfer portal and players aging out. Two longtime members of the Pack, star wing Jakia Brown-Turner and guard Diamond Johnson, left Raleigh to play at Maryland and Norfolk State, respectively. Five players from the 2022-23 roster returned for the red-and-white, but otherwise, it was a whole new team.

Junior guard Aziaha James has become Moore’s secret weapon all while growing into herself as a person and player. Starting at NC State during the 2021-22 season, James got a taste of victory her freshman year when the Pack won an ACC Tournament and posted a long run through March Madness.

James went from scoring 106 points her freshman year to 219 her sophomore season, and it was clear that if given the opportunity, she would rise to the top.

This season, James has proven herself. With 617 points and counting throughout the season, she’s pressing on the gas with a thrilling momentum.

In the electric Elite Eight matchup against

Texas this past weekend, James led the team in points for the fourth game in a row along with setting a new program record for the most 3-pointers made in a game.

Other returners to Raleigh include graduate center River Baldwin, graduate forward Mimi Collins, senior guard Madison Hayes and junior guard Saniya Rivers. Each of these players hold an important role for the Wolfpack and have all grown their game. They were all able to play more minutes and raise their total amount of points, rebounds and assists at the same time.

While James clearly leads the team in points, Rivers follows not too far behind with 431. After her, the field grows much closer; Collins and Hayes are tied with 384 each.

While offense sells tickets, the defense wins games. Hayes and Baldwin lead the team with rebounds, and Baldwin also

holds the title of the most blocks on the team with 43.

All the players new to the lineup shared a rare characteristic in today’s NCAA landscape: They’re all true freshmen who can ball out.

Freshman guard Zoe Brooks was ranked No. 9 in ESPN’s class of 2023, and she lived up to the hype. With 329 points on her freshman season, the sky’s the limit for the young star. She was joined by fellow freshmen guard Laci Steele and forward Maddie Cox, who have used their playing time to the max.

With this revamped roster and a struggling season behind him, Moore had to make a quick pivot into one of the toughest territories in collegiate sports: ACC women’s basketball.

The Wolfpack completely changed; with a 31-6 record and a 13-5 conference season,

it’s clear to say the Pack is back.

Here are a few more accolades that the ladies have gotten this season: seven ranked wins, including a dominant win over thenNo.2 UConn, an ACC Championship finals appearance and an appearance in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.

This appearance in the Final Four is only the second time in Wolfpack women’s basketball history, with the first coming 26 years ago in 1998. NC State legend, women’s hoops hero and former Wolfpack head coach Kay Yow led that team to Kansas City, Missouri, and now Moore is leading the Pack to Cleveland.

This weekend is one of the most important in Moore’s long and experienced career. If all goes well, he should be getting his own statue outside Reynolds Coliseum, right next to Yow.

CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN

NC State women’s basketball head coach Wes Moore yells during the game against Tennessee in Reynolds Coliseum on Monday, March 25, 2024. The Wolfpack beat the Lady Vols 79-72.

Erin Ferrare Assistant Sports Editor

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