Jim Dedmon/USAToday sports
ACC Championship Sights & Sounds
GREENSBORO — It's your turn to celebrate NC State.
Finally.
For the first time since 1992, a team representing the Wolfpack in men's or women's basketball, football or baseball has won an ACC championship. The 28-year title drought came to an emphatic end on Sunday as coach Wes Moore's women's basketball team beat Florida State 71-66 in the ACC tournament final at Greensboro Coliseum.
The hard-fought victory, which wasn't secured until State scored 13 of the game's final 16 points, set off a joyous celebration among the players and coaches on the court, and the mostly red-clad crowd of 7,324.
Senior Aislinn Konig rebounded from a cold shooting first half to make all three of her second half three-pointers, including one that tied the game with 2:28 remaining. Elissa Cunane then took over at the free throw line and on the defensive end to hold off and then put away the fourth-seeded Seminoles down the stretch.
Konig and Cunane led the way with 18 points each while freshmen Jakia Brown-Turner and Jada Boyd also made major contributions with 14 and 10 points each to put the second-seeded Wolfpack (28-4) over the top.
Here is a look at some of the sights and sounds that come when nearly three decades of frustration is finally released, starting with video from the game's final seconds and the immediate aftermath:
And here's the celebration in photos:
Erika Cassell, Kayla Jones and Grace Hunter salute the crowd after winning the ACC tournament championship
Jim Dedmon/USAToday sports
Wolfpack coach Wes Moore gets a championship shower
Jim Dedmon/USAToday sports
Moore is wet, but happy as he cuts down the nets at Greensboro Coliseum
Brett Friedlander/SI All Wolfpack
Senior Aislinn Konig accepts the tournament MVP trophy from ACC commissioner John Swofford
Jim Dedmon/USAToday sports
After the game, Konig discussed her second half turnaround and what winning a long-awaited championship means for her and her school:
"There are no words to describe the type of feeling that the whole team has right now," Konig said. "This was a family that came together and really bought in and played together throughout this whole tournament and through the ups and downs through the season.
"Being able to celebrate that with them and the coaching staff and the amazing fans who filled up this arena for us is super special. To be part of this legacy of NC State that has had so many contributors from before us and will guarantee to have after us, it's amazing to be part of that."
"I remember as a kid when the champions would be crowned I would see the balloons and the confetti growing up, and I said mom, 'I want a balloon,'" said All-ACC center Cunane, a Greensboro native who attended several ACC tournaments as a youngster. "She said no, you can't get one. So I went down today and grabbed as many as I could! I have one in my locker. It's amazing to be on this stage and surrounded by all my best friends. It means a lot to us."
This is what it looks like when an NC State team cuts down ACC tournament championship nets ...
Finally, here's a look at your ACC tournament champions with the spoils of their victory:
