NC State dominated the second half behind center DJ Burns to extend the Wolfpack’s improbable run to the national title.
The Wolfpack men advance to the Final Four for the first time since 1983. Hours earlier, the Wolfpack women won their Elite Eight game to also win a shot in the Final Four.
Check back for more photos from News & Observer photojournalists Ethan Hyman, Kaitilin McKeown, Robert Willett and Travis Long.
N.C. State’s KJ Keatts, center, and team celebrate after placing their name on the Final Four poster after N.C. State’s 76-64 victory over Duke in their NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Sunday, March 31, 2024.
N.C. State’s DJ Burns Jr. celebrates with the band after N.C. State’s 76-64 victory over Duke in their NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Sunday, March 31, 2024.
N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts and his players accept the NCAA South Regional Championship trophy in a shower of confetti following the Wolfpack’s 76-64 victory over Duke on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
The team dumps confetti after their 76-64 victory over Duke in their NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Sunday, March 31, 2024.
N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts and his players accept the NCAA South Regional Championship trophy in a shower of confetti following the Wolfpack’s 76-64 victory over Duke on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
N.C. State’s Ben Middlebrooks holds up the South Regional trophy after N.C. State’s 76-64 victory over Duke in their NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Sunday, March 31, 2024.
N.C. State’s head coach Kevin Keatts waves the net after after N.C. State’s 76-64 victory over Duke in their NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Sunday, March 31, 2024.
N.C. State’s Ben Middlebrooks (34) hoists the NCAA South Regional Championship trophy following the Wolfpack’s 76-64 victory over Duke, securing a spot in the Final Four on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Mohamed Diarra (23) acknowledges fans as he cuts down the net following the Wolfpack’s 76-64 victory over Duke, clinching the NCAA South Regional final and securing a spot in the Final Four on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts celebrates the Wolfpack’s 76-64 victory over Duke, clinching the NCAA South Regional final and securing a spot in the Final Four on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts acknowledges fans as he climbs the ladder to cut down the net following the Wolfpack’s 76-64 victory over Duke, clinching the NCAA South Regional final and securing a spot in the Final Four on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
N.C. State’s Ernest Ross (24), Ben Middlebrooks (34) and D.J. Horne (0) celebrate their 76-64 victory over Duke in the NCAA South Regional final, securing a spot in the Final 4, on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
NC State’s DJ Burns and Michael McConnell celebrate a Wolfpack basket late in the NCAA Elite 8 game against Duke.
NC State’s DJ Burns dances during a timeout late in the Wolfpack’s game against Duke in the NCAA Tournament Elite 8.
NC state fans at Players’ Retreat in Raleigh celebrate a Wolfpack lead against Duke during the second half of the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament on Sunday, March 31, 2024.
N.C. State’s Ben Middlebrooks (34) collides with Duke’s Kyle Filipowski (30) under the basket in the second half during the NCAA South Regional final on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
N.C. State’s D.J. Horne (0) shoots over Duke’s Jaylen Blakes (2) in the second half during the NCAA South Regional final on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
N.C. State’s D.J. Horne (0) drives against Duke’s Jaylen Blakes (2) in the second half during the NCAA South Regional final on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
N.C. State’s Ben Middlebrooks (34) fights for a rebound with Duke’s Jared McCain (0) during the first half of N.C. State’s game against Duke in their NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Sunday, March 31, 2024.
Duke’s Jared McCain (0) drives as N.C. State’s Mohamed Diarra (23) defends during the first half of N.C. State’s game against Duke in their NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Sunday, March 31, 2024.
N.C. State’s D.J. Burns Jr. (30) puts up a shot over Duke’s Ryan Young (15) in the first half during the NCAA South Regional final on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
N.C. State’s Mohamed Diarra (23) pulls in the rebound from Duke’s Kyle Filipowski (30) and Jaylen Blakes (2) during the first half of N.C. State’s game against Duke in their NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Sunday, March 31, 2024.
N.C. State’s DJ Horne drives to the basket against Duke’s Mark Mitchell during the first half of the Wolfpack’s NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup on Sunday, March 31, 2024, at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Duke’s Jeremy Roach (3) drives past N.C. State’s Jayden Taylor (1) during the first half of N.C. State’s game against Duke in their NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Sunday, March 31, 2024.
Duke’s Proctor drives between NC State defenders Michael O’Connell (12) and DJ Burns in first half action from the NCAA Elite 8 in Dallas, Sunday, March 31, 2024.
N.C. State’s Casey Morsell (14) knocks the ball from Duke’s Jeremy Roach (3) during the first half of N.C. State’s game against Duke in their NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Sunday, March 31, 2024.
Duke’s Kyle Filipowski and N.C. State’s Mohamed Diarra battle for a rebound during the first half of the Wolfpack’s NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup on Sunday, March 31, 2024, at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Duke’s Jaylen Blakes (2) secures an offensive rebound over N.C. State’s Michael O’Connell (12) in the first half during the NCAA South Regional final on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Duke’s Kyle Filipowski (30) and N.C. State’s Mohamed Diarra (23) go up for the opening tip in the NCAA South Regional final on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
NC State football coach Dave Doeren (center) flashes the Wolfpack sign as he cheers for State against Duke in the NCAA Elite 8 game, Saturday, March 31, 2024.
A Wolfpack fan holds up a sign as Duke warms up before N.C. State’s game against Duke in their NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Sunday, March 31, 2024.
A new self-driving truck — manufactured by Volvo and loaded with autonomous vehicle tech developed by Aurora Innovation — could be on public highways as early as this summer. The Volvo VNL Autonomous truck, which was revealed Monday evening at the ACT Expo in Las Vegas, is the product of a partnership between Aurora and Volvo Autonomous Solutions. Aurora plans to start hauling freight using these Volvo self-driving trucks in the next several months.
OpenAI is removing one of the voices used by ChatGPT. Users found that it sounded similar to Scarlett Johansson, the company announced on Monday, and Johansson herself released a statement saying she hired legal council to inquire about the Sky voice and get exact details about how it was developed. "We believe that AI voices should not deliberately mimic a celebrity's distinctive voice—Sky’s voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson but belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice," the company wrote in a blog post.
Microsoft wants to bring generative AI to the forefront of Windows — and the PCs running it. At a keynote ahead of its annual Build developer conference this week, the company unveiled a new lineup of Windows machines it's calling Copilot+ PCs, plus generative AI-powered features like Recall, which helps users find apps, files and other content they've viewed in the past. Copilot, Microsoft's brand of generative AI, will soon be far more deeply integrated into the Windows 11 experience.
Actor Scarlett Johansson has accused OpenAI of copying her voice for one of the voice assisstants in ChatGPT despite denying the company permission to do so.
While many climate investors focus their efforts on breakthrough, deep-tech solutions, Patrick Sheehan at ETF Partners has other ideas. “I’ve actually got nothing against carbon capture and storage, apart from the fact it’s probably going to be commercialized too late,” he told TechCrunch. Instead, Sheehan and his colleagues are diving into more software-centric companies that promise to still move the needle.
A gaggle of PC makers rolled out their first Copilot+ PCs on Monday, but they all run on Qualcomm silicon. Intel said today its first chips to support Copilot+ AI features, will arrive in the fall.
Jake Mintz & Jordan Shusterman talk about the Phillies taking advantage of their weak schedule, the Yankees’ rotation dilemma when Gerrit Cole returns, Paul Skenes’ encore performance against the Cubs and the Cardinals’ City Connect uniforms.
Meta's Oversight Board has now extended its scope to include the company's newest platform, Instagram Threads. Designed as an independent appeals board that hears cases and then makes precedent-setting content moderation decisions, the board to date has decided on cases like Facebook's ban of Donald Trump, COVID-19 misinformation, the removal of breast cancer photos, and more. Now the board has begun hearing cases emerging from Threads, Meta's Twitter/X competitor.
