NC State fans celebrate epic upsets over Duke, Texas; parties planned overnight as Wolfpack teams return to campus
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — North Carolina State fans raced to the Memorial Belltower Sunday as the clock ticked down the final seconds in a huge upset against Duke — they were ready to celebrate with thousands of others along Hillsborough Street as the team made it to the NCAA Final Four for the first time in more than 40 years.
The students and other fans were also at the site along Hillsborough Street to celebrate N.C. State’s ninth straight win — including five in just five days to take the title in the ACC Championship and earn a spot in the NCAA tournament.
And, many were celebrating from earlier in the afternoon when the N.C. State women’s basketball team upset Texas in the Elite Eight to also secure a spot in the Final Four.
“It’s like a dream. And I don’t know if I woke up yet,” N.C. State alum Wayne Jarvis said.
Some fans like Jarvis remember the last time the men’s team made it this far, back in 1983, and they are excited to have another chance to relive the excitement of that moment.
Overnight, both N.C. State teams will arrive back in Raleigh and parties for each are planned for each very early Monday morning.
Fans of the men’s team were invited to the Dail Basketball Center behind Weisiger-Brown Athletics Building at 1 a.m. Monday to welcome home the team and celebrate their second Final Four appearance.
Then, a party is planned at the south end of Reynolds Coliseum at 2 a.m. Monday to welcome home and celebrate the Final Four appearance for the women’s team.
“I’ve been waiting for 38 years to come back out here to celebrate,” Jarvis said.
N.C. State grad Samuel Musulin, watching the game at a sports bar, said, “I’ve been here every night since 1983, and I’ve been waiting for a repeat, and it looks pretty promising.”
For old and new fans alike, the Wolfpack’s ninth straight win — this time against a rival Triangle team — is incredibly exciting.
“It is just phenomenal to watch them week after week after week just, you know, succeed and move forward,” said Beverly Keith, who just joined the Wolfpack nation as a fan.
Graduate student Teresa Tiedge said this game gave N.C. State the chance “just to prove themselves and say, hey, we can do this stuff, don’t underestimate us.”
Longtime fans feel the same way.
“These boys love their coach, they love their school. They’ve got it. Going all the way!” said longtime N.C. State fan Anna Bazemore.
Duke came out ahead early in the game and led heading into the second half, but some Blue Devils fans still felt tense.
“Less stressful than playing UNC, I will say, but still a big game,” Duke fan Chris McLaughlin said.
Liam Fore, another Duke fan, added, “I think we’re playing solid, but definitely need to play a little bit better.”
It was not enough for the Blue Devils to pull out the win, and Wolfpack fans said things looked rough for Duke when one specific player took control.
“Just watching DJ Burns just dominate” was Wayne Jarvis’ favorite moment of Sunday’s game.
Alum Sidney Gaston Sanchez said, “Any time that he had the ball, I was like, yes, we’re doing well, he’s got this game.”
Fans could not get enough of Wolfpack forward DJ Burns Jr.
“I think what’s awesome is when DJ Burns gets that smile on his face, everybody just knows we’re done now,” Keith said.
Fans are already gearing up for NC State’s next game.
“This is the environment that we need to do this, that we need to watch it with everyone else,” grad student Tiedge said.
Of course, fans hope to be back at the Memorial Belltower after their next game against Purdue on Saturday, April 6.
Fans said there is nothing like the energy of celebrating with the rest of the Wolfpack faithful.
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