New Headline: Panthers Dominating Wolverines in ACC Tournament Clash
Dec 4, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Pope (0) dribbles with the ball during the second half of the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images NC State is back in the NCAA tournament but is up against a brutal draw to reach the second weekend. Turns out the Wolfpack was one of the last four at-large teams in the field, putting it in Dayton along with its opponent, Texas, as well as SMU and Miami (OH).
That’s a tad confusing, but clearly NC State’s lack of top-end wins and its poor finish pushed it into play-in territory. And talk about a brutal draw! If NC State beats Texas this time around, it’ll have to be in Portland, Oregon, for a game against No.
6 BYU two days later. Gonzaga lurks as the three-seed in that pod. So, uh, not ideal.
The fact that UNC and Louisville both slotted as six-seeds may have worked to State’s detriment here, since a game against a league foe in the first weekend is not allowed—it’s interesting that a VCU team that State beat escaped Dayton on the 11-line, and maybe this is why. Mostly I’m upset about having to play Texas again; if the committee had to send us to Dayton, they could at least have given us the opportunity to hand Miami (OH) its second loss. SMU gets to do that instead.
No fun!