WASHINGTON–Kevin Keatts went there.
Meeting with the media after tenth-seeded NC State’s upset of two seed Duke, Keatts said, “Once again, I know you guys love this, if you’re a part of Wolfpack Nation. We survive and advance.”
The miracle Pack has now won three games in three days, becoming the first double-digit seed since 2010 to make the ACC Tournament semifinals and the first ever to get there after starting its tournament run on Tuesday’s play-in round.
State’s run may not bring back echoes of the 1983 Cardiac Pack which upset its way to the NCAA title—yet—but State’s run has been impressive, especially considering their late season slump, when the Pack lost seven of nine and the last four games of the regular season.
“We said when we got to the tournament, we can play and we can beat anybody in this league,” Keatts said. “The unfortunate thing about it is that everybody else can do the same thing. So I think we’re locked in.”
The Pack had a clear advantage over the Blue Devils. State beat Duke on the boards and in the battle for loose balls, scoring 18-8 second-chance points. State’s defense also kept Duke in check. The Blue Devils were unable to make up for their…
