The Best (and Worst) March Madness Moments in NC State History
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The North Carolina State Wolfpack men’s basketball program has long been considered a “sleeping giant” program, as it has spent the entirety of the 21st century attempting to break the cycle of not making a final four in an extended period of time.
Now, the program faces new life under first-year head coach Will Wade, who has proved to inject energy into a program that experienced a rough 2024-25 campaign under former coach Kevin Keatts.
Explore some of the best and worst moments over the last 40 years of the NC State program.
Best: 1983 National Title
The Wolfpack previously established themselves with a national title in 1974, but struggled to gain footing in the years after, failing to win a tournament game before 1983.
Head coach Jim Valvano took charge of one of the most iconic Cinderella stories in the history of college athletics, as the Wolfpack won three straight ACC tournament games to earn a spot in the field - they then went on to win four of their five games before the final by single digits.
The game against Houston was truly a David v. Goliath setting, as the Cougars boasted future basketball hall of fame talents in Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. The Wolfpack managed to tread the game on even water until the final possession, where Lorenzo Charles caught an errant shot under the hoop and finished it with a two-handed dunk to hand NC State a stunning 54-52 victory.
Worst: Trio of One-and-Dones Since 2010
There aren’t many lowlights for NC State in their tournament history, but three one-and-done appearances in the tournament since 2013 are a potential stain on their recent endeavors
NC State lost to 9-seed Temple in 2013, 8-seed Seton Hall in 2018, and 6-seed Creighton in 2023.
Best: 2024 Final Four Run
This was the last stand for Keatts prior to his dismissal following the 2024-25 season. The Wolfpack only reached the tournament by virtue of earning the automatic bid. The team rallied behind a dynamic duo of guard D.J. Horne and big man DJ Burns by defeating Texas Tech, Oakland, Marquette, and Duke to earn a bid to the final four in Phoenix, where they eventually bowed out to Purdue in a semi-competitive contest.
The string of wins was undeniably impressive, regardless, as Duke and Marquette each possessed multiple future NBA players on each of their rosters.
TBD: Potential 2026 Run
2026 has the potential to end up being one of the best or at the very top of unfortunate exits in the field. Texas is a talented, yet flawed squad that Wade’s squad holds marked advantages over - including one in the three-point shooting department.
A victory over Texas opens the door to take on a vulnerable BYU team that is reeling after losing one of its three-star players in Richie Saunders, while Gonzaga is also seen as a squad that can have holes poked into its operation in a single-game setting.
