STORIES

‹ Back

NC State Wolfpack: "Why Not Us?" 🐺🐺

 

The 2023-2024 NCAA season was a history making season for both the NC State Wolfpack Men and Women's Basketball Teams, with both teams reaching the Final Four at the same time, in the same season.

 

The Wolfpack Men finished the regular season on a four-game losing streak, posting a season record of 17–14 (9–11 in ACC Conference). Entering the ACC tournament as the #10 seed, the team went on a miraculous run in the ACC tournament coming out as ACC Champions. The historic ACC tournament run set many firsts:

 

- First ACC Championship since 1987

- First Double Digit Seed to Win Title

- 5 Wins in 5 Days

- Barely Enough Players through Injuries & Fouling Out

 

As ACC Tournament Champions, the NC State Wolfpack Men obtained an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Entering the NCAA Tournament as a #11 seed, the Wolfpack Women made it to the Final Four by defeating cross-town rivals #4 seed Duke 76-64. In the Find Four, the Men lost to #1 seed Purdue.

 

The Wolfpack Women finished the regular season 31–7 overall (13–5 in ACC Conference). As the #2 seed in the ACC tournament, they defeated #7 Duke and #6 Florida State to reach the Finals, where they eventually lost to #4 Notre Dame. The Wolfpack Women then received an at-large invitation to the NCAA Tournament.

 

Entering the NCAA Tournament as a #3 seed, the Wolfpack Women made it to the Final Four by defeating #1 seed Texas 76-66. In the Final Four, the Women lost to #1 seed South Carolina, and eventual NCAA Champions.

 

Through the course of both the Wolfpack Men and Women's tournament runs, the nation was watching from coast to coast as history was made. Rising up was the motto "Why Not Us?", evolving to "Why Not Both" when both Men and Women teams continued their runs to the Final Four.

 

Many NC State fans, students, and alumni made the pilgrimage to Oakwood Cemetary, to pay tribute to legendary coach Jim Valvano of the 1983 NCAA Champion Wolfpack team — the best Cinderella story in sports history.

 

Considering what the Wolfpack Men had to achieve just to get to the NCAA Final Four, it was another magical story in the making:

 

- Won 9 straight elimination games

- Won the 2024 ACC Tournament

- Made the Final Four as the No. 11 seed

 

Though the magic ended, NC State Men's Basketball Coach Kevin Keatts was named Coach of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. A well deserved accomplishment for leading a team that no one had paid attention to, much less gave a chance.