Wolfpack Flashback: BeeJay's Big Shot And a Man on 'Fire'

Rodney Monroe and BeeJay Anya don't have much in common, other than that they played basketball for NC State. But on this date, they both became Wolfpack NCAA tournament heroes

Geoff Burke/USAToday sports

The only Madness going on this March is taking place off the court, with the NCAA tournament cancelled in response to the growing coronavirus crisis. With no actual games to report on, SI All Wolfpack is looking back in time to remember some of NC State's best postseason games from the past. This date in Wolfpack history produced pair of dramatic wins 26 years apart, provided by an unlikely combination of heroes

Rodney Monroe and BeeJay Anya don't have a lot in common, other than that they both played basketball for NC State.

One was a pure shooter, perhaps the best ever to wear a Wolfpack uniform. The other was a super sized big man known more for blocking shots than making them.

But on this date, March 19, both cemented their spots in State basketball lore with performances that helped their school earn dramatic NCAA tournament victories.

Anya's big moment came in 2015 in an opening round game against LSU in Pittsburgh.

The 6-foot-9, 295-pound center made only two baskets in the game, but both came in the final 45 seconds to help complete a rally that saw the eighth-seeded Wolfpack battle back from a 16-point second half deficit for a 66-65 victory.

Anya scored on a tip-in to get State back to within a point, then made a left-handed hook in the line at the buzzer to provide the game winner. The winning basket came on a play that was supposed to see teammate Trevor Lacey take the last shot. But when Anya found the ball in his hands with time running out, he simply reacted and put the ball up.

"I was like, know what, it's time for me to shoot the ball," he said afterward. "Trevor called for it back. He had a chance. It was my turn to shoot it."

Monroe never had to worry about waiting his time to shoot. With a picture perfect stroke that helped him score 2,551 career points, the "Fire" half of State's "Fire and Ice" combination with point guard Chris Corchiani always had a green light.

And took advantage of it on March 19, 1989.

Playing against Iowa in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Providence, R.I., Monroe poured in a career-high 40 points to lead the Wolfpack to a 102-96 double overtime victory.

The talented guard scored 31 of his points after halftime and made dramatic jumpers with four seconds left in both regulation and the first overtime to extend the game and set the stage for the victory.

State has played two other NCAA games on March 19.

In 2004, the third-seeded Wolfpack beat Louisiana-Lafayette 61-52 in an opening round game in Orlando behind 20 points from Marcus Melvin and 14 from Julius Hodge. 

Things didn't go as well two years later, as No. 10 State was beaten by second-seeded Texas 75-54 in a second round game in Dallas. Cam Bennerman scored 16 points and Gavin Grant had 14, but the Wolfpack managed only 21 second half points to allow the Longhorns to pull away.