NC State Wolfpack men's basketball
Encyclopedia
The NC State Wolfpack
men's basketball
team represents North Carolina State University
in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Wolfpack currently competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference
, of which it was a founding member.
Prior to joining the ACC in 1954 the Wolfpack was a member of the Southern Conference
, where the Pack won seven conference championships. As a member of the ACC the Wolfpack has won ten conference championships and two national championships. State's unexpected 1983 title
was one of the most memorable in NCAA history.
Since 1999 the Wolfpack has played most of its home games in the RBC Center.
programs and 26th in winning percentage among programs with at least twenty six or 26 years in Division I. The team's all-time record is 1503-894 (.627).
The program saw its greatest success during the head coaching tenures of Everett Case
(1946–1965), Norm Sloan
(1967–1980), and Jim Valvano
(1980–1990).
NC State has produced some of the ACC's best players, including Tom Burleson, Rodney Monroe
, Monte Towe
, and Ron Shavlik. David Thompson
, who led the Wolfpack to its first NCAA title in 1974
, has been recognized as one of college basketball's greatest players.
The Wolfpack has won a total of 17 conference tournament championships and 13 regular season conference titles. State has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 22 times, with three Final Four appearances (1950, 1974, 1983) and two national titles (1974, 1983). The Wolfpack also appeared in the Final Four of the 1947 National Invitational Tournament, which was during the NIT's "national championship era."
. NC State, then known as the North Carolina A&M Farmers, lost, 33-6. The two teams met again five days later in Raleigh, with A&M earning its first-ever victory, 19-18. The following year, the school's athletics council officially recognized basketball as a sport.
Before the 1920–21 season the university changed its name from North Carolina A&M to North Carolina State College. At that time the school's nickname was the "Tech." That season the program joined the fledgling Southern Conference
as a charter member. State College changed its nickname yet again in 1923, this time to the "Red Terrors." The name was drawn from a combination of the play of Rochelle "Red" Johnson and the team's new bright red road uniforms. Also in 1923, State opened its first basketball facility, Frank Thompson Gym. The gym, named in honor of a former athlete from the school who died in action during World War I
, served as the team's home until 1948. During the first years of the program, the team had no practice facility and was forced to practice on an outdoor field in nearby Pullen Park
.
Gus Tebell took over the basketball team as head coach in 1924. During his tenure he led the program to a number of school firsts, including the first conference championship in 1929 and the first 20-win season. He compiled a then all-time program best career coaching record at 79-36. The Wolfpack's first player to garner significant national recognition was Bud Rose, who, after the 1931–32 season, was named as an honorable mention All-American.
In 1941 the university began construction on William Neal Reynolds Coliseum
, a multi-purpose arena that would serve as the new home of Wolfpack basketball. Construction was stalled due to the outbreak of World War II
and the skeleton structure of the arena was left unfinished for nearly six years until its completion in 1949. The Wolfpack would play its home games at Reynolds for the next 50 years, until the men's team moved to the RBC Center in 1999.
and athletic director H.A. Fisher set upon rebuilding the university's athletic teams. In 1946 David Clark, a former president of the NC State Alumni Association, suggested to the Athletics Council that the best place to search for a new head basketball coach would be in Indiana, which was a basketball hotbed at the time. Per Clark's suggestion, Harrelson met with Indiana native Chuck Taylor
who was in Raleigh to coach his army team in an exhibition game against NC State. Taylor's recommendation for the job was his former high school coach Everett Case
. When approached by Harrelson about the job, Case was at first hesitant because of the tight restrictions under which the program had been operating. Harrelson assured Case that he would be given an expanded budget and more than enough scholarships to field a competitive team. Additionally, Case was lured by the still unfinished Reynolds Coliseum. He accepted the job almost immediately without ever visiting the campus.
and spent several years coaching teams at various Naval bases during the war. In February 1947, his first season at NC State, Case defeated arch-rival North Carolina
in Chapel Hill, 48-46 in overtime, beginning a streak of 15 consecutive victories over the Tar Heels. Later that month, an afternoon game in Thompson Gym against Duke
was postponed by city fire officials because of overcrowding. That evening the game was officially canceled after fans were found sneaking through bathroom windows, breaking down doors, and hiding in the basement. Less than three weeks later, Case guided the Red Terrors to their first Southern Conference championship in 18 years. Case and his team celebrated by performing an Indiana high school tradition of cutting down the nets. The tradition soon spread to college teams across the nation and survives amongst championship teams to this day. Soon after his arrival, Case was named "Tar Heel of the Week" by the Raleigh News and Observer, citing that "since the little man came here from Indiana...basketball has almost supplanted politics as the favorite topic of discussion in the North Carolina capital." In Case's second season as head coach the team changed its nickname from the Red Terrors to the Wolfpack.
In February 1948, Case made alterations to the design of the still incomplete Reynolds Coliseum. Attempting to usurp Duke
's Cameron Indoor Stadium
as the largest basketball arena in the area, Case insisted that the blueprints be changed to increase the maximum capacity from 9,000 seats to more than 11,000. Construction resumed later that month after a final shipment of steel arrived in Raleigh. Reynolds officially opened its doors on December 2, 1949, with a Wolfpack win over Washington & Lee, 67–47, in front of a sell-out crowd of 11,020. At that time, the arena was the largest college basketball facility in the southeast. Soon after Reynolds' opening, the Greensboro News & Record
wrote that Raleigh had become "the basketball capital of the world. Immediately, at once."
Later that month, December 28–30, the first annual Dixie Classic
tournament was held in Reynolds. The Dixie Classic was a three-day tournament held each December until 1961 that matched the four Tobacco Road
schools of NC State, North Carolina, Duke, and Wake Forest against four of the top teams from across the country. In its time the Dixie Classic became the largest regular season tournament in college basketball. After finishing the season at 27-6 and winning its fourth consecutive Southern Conference Tournament, the Wolfpack received invitations to both the National Invitation Tournament
and the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. Case declined the NIT bid and accepted the invitation to the program's first ever NCAA Tournament. The team defeated Holy Cross
before losing to eventual champion City College of New York
, 78-73. NC State went on to defeat Baylor
in the third-place game, 53–41. The Wolfpack won its fifth consecutive Southern Conference title in 1951 and its sixth the following year. Both seasons ended in early exits from the NCAA Tournament, though. In 1951 State defeated Villanova
in the first round before losing to Illinois
. In 1952 the team lost in the first round to St. John's
and future North Carolina head coach Frank McGuire
.
The Wolfpack's six-year winning streak against North Carolina came to an end in January 1953, as the Wolfpack, ranked #17 in the country, lost to the unranked Tar Heels in Raleigh, 70–69. It was the first match between the two schools since the hiring of Frank McGuire the previous summer. McGuire inflamed NC State players and fans by having his players cut down the nets in Reynolds Coliseum following the victory. Despite the loss, the Pack finished first in the conference at 13-3 but lost in the conference tournament championship game. The team was ranked 18th in the final AP poll of 1953 but was left out of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years.
.
NC State's first ACC contest was on the road against Wake Forest in December 1953. The Wolfpack was ranked #8 in the nation at the time, but just as in the first ever meeting between the two schools, Wake Forest prevailed. Case and his squad defeated the Demon Deacons later that season in the first-ever ACC Tournament championship game, 82-80 in overtime. The victory meant a return trip to the NCAA Tournament
, where NC State defeated George Washington in the first round before losing to eventual champion La Salle in the second round. Case's squad won a second ACC title the following year, defeating Duke in 87-77 in the championship game. The team finished with a 28-4 record but was ineligible for postseason play due to NCAA sanctions. The Wolfpack brought home a third consecutive ACC title in the 1955–56 season, setting a record for consecutive ACC championships that stood until 2002. The team also played in its first televised game earlier that season, losing to North Carolina in Chapel Hill, 73–69. State struggled in the 1956–57 season, finishing fifth in the conference for the first time under Case. State's loss in the first round of that year's ACC Tournament
also marked the first time that Case did not lead his team to the conference championship game. The team finished third in 1958 and was ranked 20th in the nation at the season's end but again lost early in the ACC Tournament
, this time to North Carolina in the quarterfinals.
The 1958 Dixie Classic brought to Reynolds Coliseum some of the most talented teams ever assembled for the tournament. Included in the field were eight players who eventually earned All-American honors, including NC State's Lou Pucillo
and John Richter
, North Carolina's Lee Shaffer, York Larese, and Doug Moe, Cincinnati
's Oscar Robertson
, Michigan State
's Johnny Green
, and Louisville
's Don Goldstein. Later that season, NC State, ranked #10 in the nation, defeated North Carolina, ranked #5, 80-56 to win their fourth ACC championship in six seasons. The Pack finished the season ranked #6 with a 22-4 record, but was again ineligible for the NCAA Tournament.
to be his top assistant. Case's health began to deteriorate rapidly over the following two seasons as the Wolfpack finished fifth in the ACC in 1963 and seventh in 1964. The seventh place finish was the lowest of Case's tenure and would prove to be his last. On December 7, 1964, just two games into the season, Everett Case retired and named Maravich as his successor. During his tenure, Case won six Southern Conference titles, four ACC titles, and qualified for the NCAA Tournament twice. His overall record of 377-134 remains the best in NC State history.
Maravich led the Pack to second place finish in the conference and an ACC championship, its first in six years. After State defeated eighth-ranked Duke in the championship game, 91–85, Case, by then using a wheelchair, was rolled on court to cut the final strand from the net. Maravich had originally been hired in part because of his son Pete Maravich
, who at the time was a highly touted high school player. After Pete failed to qualify academically at NC State, he accepted a scholarship to play at LSU. After the 1965–66 season, Press Maravich resigned as head coach of the Wolfpack to follow Pete to LSU. NC state finished eighth in the ACC in Maravich's final year. On April 30, 1966, the day after Maravich announced that he was leaving, Everett Case died while in a Raleigh hospital.
was hired as the new head coach. In 1967–68, his first season, Sloan's team finished the regular season third in the ACC with a 9-5 conference record. State made it as far as the ACC championship game before losing to North Carolina 87–50, but it was the Pack's semifinal game against tenth-ranked Duke that is most remembered. Sloan realized that his team was vastly undersized against the Blue Devils. He decided, however, to use the Wolfpack's quickness to its advantage and keep the ball away from the Duke players for as much of the game as possible. Using a tactic he coined "stall-ball", Sloan instructed his players to hold the ball at halfcourt and slow the game down as much as possible. The final result was the lowest scoring game in ACC Tournament history. Duke led 4-2 at halftime and the Wolfpack held the ball for more than 13 straight minutes in the second half. In the end, State prevailed 12–10.
The following season marked another historic first in the Wolfpack program, as on December 2, 1968 Al Heartly debuted as the school's first African-American basketball player. Heartly had a solid three-year career at NC State and was named a team captain as a senior.
NC State won Sloan's first ACC title, and sixth overall, in Sloan's third season, 1969–70. The team finished the regular season at 23-7 overall and third in the conference. In the conference championship game, the Pack defeated third-ranked South Carolina
42-39 in double overtime. With the victory, the Wolfpack was invited to its first NCAA Tournament in five years. State received a bye in the first round of the tournament and lost its first game to St. Bonaventure in the semifinals, 80-68. In the Eastern Regional third-place game, the Pack defeated Niagara, 108-88. Despite State's quick exit from the tournament, Sloan's squad finished the season ranked tenth in the AP poll, its first end-of-the-season ranking since being ranked sixth following the 1958–59 season.
During the spring of 1970, just after the season's end, Sloan signed Tom Burleson. Burleson, a 7'4" native of Newland, NC, was the first major player of the Wolfpack squad that would have a combined record of 57-1 during the 1972–73 and 1973–74 seasons to be signed. The following spring, Sloan signed the remaining pieces of the 1974 championship nucleus, 6'4" David Thompson
, 5'7" point guard Monte Towe
, and 6'7" power forward Tim Stoddard
. At the time, the NCAA prohibited freshmen from competing on varsity squads and the team struggled in the following two seasons, finishing seventh in the ACC in 1970–71 and fifth in 1971–72. At 13–14 overall, the 1970–71 season was Sloan's worst and his only losing season as the Wolfpack head coach.
With the addition of Thompson, Towe, and Stoddard to the starting lineup in 1972–73, the team rebounded quickly from its recent struggles. David Thompson, known as "Skywalker" for his 44 inch vertical leap, impressed in his 1972 debut as a sophomore. In what was a 130-53 rout of Appalachian State, Thompson scored 33 points and collected 13 rebounds. On January 14, 1973 NC State played in the first nationally televised Super Bowl Sunday college basketball matchup. The third-ranked Wolfpack defeated second-ranked Maryland in College Park, 87-85. The two teams met again two months later in the ACC Tournament championship game. State won another narrow victory over the Terrapins, 76–74, to finish the season at a perfect 27–0. However, due to NCAA sanctions resulting from violations during Thompson's recruiting, the team was barred from postseason participation.
The NCAA sanctions against the Wolfpack were lifted after the 1972–73 season. Ranked second nationally in the first AP poll of the season, the team was poised to make another strong run. State began the season with a pair of games against East Carolina
and Vermont
, which it won by a combined score of 176-87. The third game of the season was against seven-time defending national champions UCLA
and coach John Wooden
. The Pack came out sluggish and was easily defeated, 84-66. It would prove to be the team's only loss in two seasons, though, as the Pack tore through the ACC, finishing the regular season at 24-1 overall. As the team continued to rack up victories, its national ranking rose accordingly. On February 19, with just four regular season games remaining, NC State overtook UCLA for the top spot in the AP poll; it was the program's first ever #1 ranking.
As the top seed in the conference tournament, the Wolfpack received a bye in the first round. In the semifinals State easily defeated Virginia, 87-66. In the championship game the team faced off against fourth-ranked Maryland, which had lost by only six points in each of the teams' regular season meetings. Maryland jumped to an early 25-12 lead, hitting 12 of its first 14 shots. The Wolfpack cut the deficit to five points at halftime but momentum shifted throughout the second half. NC State led by four late in the game but Maryland closed the gap and sent the game to overtime, tied at 97. The Wolfpack, led by Tom Burleson's 38 points, won 103-100 in what has been heralded as one of the greatest college basketball games ever played.
Back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four seasons, Sloan and his team played their first two games on their home court. They defeated their first two opponents, Providence and Pittsburgh, by a combined 32 points to set up a Final Four rematch with UCLA. In the week leading up to the game, thousands of fans packed Reynolds Coliseum to watch the Wolfpack practice. When the two teams finally met in Greensboro, it was another tight contest for the Pack. After ending regulation tied at 65, each team scored only two points in the first overtime. UCLA took a seven-point lead in the second extra period, but NC State led by David Thompson, took the lead for the final time with 34 seconds to play. State went on to win, 80–77, and advanced to the national championship game against Marquette
.
The championship game, played two nights later, was much less competitive than the previous contest. The game was close in the first half until Marquette coach Al McGuire
received two technical fouls and was ejected from the game. McGuire's exit sparked a 10-0 Wolfpack run just before halftime. NC State led by as much as 19 points in the second half and ultimately won, 76–64.
Thompson left NC State after his senior season in 1975 as the school's most decorated player. He won every major national player of the year award in 1975, in addition to being a three-time consensus First-Team All-America honoree, a three-time unanimous First-Team All-ACC honoree, and a three-time ACC Player of the Year winner. In his 86 games, Thompson scored 2,309 points (26.8 ppg); he still holds the Wolfpack records for points scored in a single season (838 in 1974–75) and points scored in a single game (57 in 1974). His #44 jersey remains the only retired jersey in NC State history, though others have been honored.
Sloan remained head coach through the 1979–80 season. His last team (1979–80) team reached the NCAA Tournament, losing to Iowa in the second round. Also, twice during his final six seasons in Raleigh his teams played in the NIT
. In 1976, the Pack advanced to the semifinals
and in 1978, it defeated South Carolina
, Detroit, and Georgetown before falling to Texas
in the championship game
. In his final season, he led the program to its 1000th victory. After resigning from NC State, Sloan returned to Florida
, where he had previously coached from 1961–1965.
Following Sloan's exit, Jim Valvano
was hired as head coach on March 27, 1980. Valvano had previously coached at Iona, where he compiled a 94-47 record over five seasons. Valvano's teams saw incremental improvement in his first two seasons, finishing seventh in the ACC in 1981 and fourth in 1982.
Expectations were high before the 1982–83 season, but a foot injury to Dereck Whittenburg
slowed the team to a fourth place regular season finish. Whittenburg returned to the court in time for the ACC Tournament
, which the Pack needed to win in order to secure a second consecutive berth in the NCAA Tournament. State did just that, defeating heavily favored North Carolina and Virginia
squads led by Michael Jordan
and Ralph Sampson
, respectively. The Wolfpack would not lose again. Their close games and exciting finishes in the ACC Tournament and early rounds of the NCAA tournament earned them the moniker The Cardiac Pack. As a #6 seed in the NCAA Tournament
, the Wolfpack won narrow victories over Pepperdine (in double overtime) and UNLV (71–70) before defeating Utah
in the Sweet Sixteen, 75-56. In the regional final, NC State again defeated Virginia, 63-62, then defeated Georgia
in the Final Four to advance to the championship game against Houston
. The Cougars, nicknamed Phi Slama Jama for their athletic, fast-paced style of play that featured Clyde Drexler
and Hakeem Olajuwon
, were expected to win easily over the underdog Wolfpack. NC State escaped with their second national title after a last-second air ball by Dereck Whittenburg was caught and dunked by Lorenzo Charles
. The 54-52 final is one of the most famous in college basketball history.http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/basketball/men/02tourney/greatest-games.htm
Valvano's 1984 team finished 7th in the ACC and lost in the first round of the NIT
to future conference foe Florida State. The following season, with the addition of guard Vinny Del Negro
, the Pack began a run of five consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. The Pack reached the Elite Eight in 1985
and 1986
and the Sweet Sixteen in 1989
. In 1987, after a sixth place finish in the regular season, NC State made another surprising run through the ACC Tournament
. In the championship game, State defeated rival North Carolina, which had gone undefeated in conference play. It was the program's last ACC championship to date. State finished second in the conference the following year and was a #3 seed in the NCAA Tournament
. The team made an early exit, though, losing to #14 seed Murray State
in the first round.
Valvano's final season in Raleigh was mired in controversy after the release of the book, Personal Fouls, written by Peter Golenbock. In the book, Golenbock alleged improper practices and a lack of institutional control in the NC State athletics department. The allegations included grade fixing, lowered or waived entrance requirements for athletes, the selling of tickets and sneakers by athletes, and frequent drug use by athletes. The claims were refuted by Valvano and Chancellor Bruce Poulton
. The NCAA, under Valvano's request, investigated the matter and found nothing more serious than athletes selling sneakers. Allegations of grade fixing were also investigated by the NC State faculty senate and were found to be false. Allegations of point shaving were investigated by the North Carolina and New Jersey Attorneys General and found to be false. Nevertheless, due in part to the publication of Personal Fouls and the stigma thus attached to the program, Valvano was fired on April 7, 1990.
Sendek was hired at NC State in 1996 after three years of success at Miami (Ohio), his first head coaching experience. He immediately improved upon the Les Robinson era since internal restrictions applied to Robinson were relaxed, winning 17 games for the program's first winning record in six years. In his first year at NC State, the Wolfpack also finished the year winning eight of eleven games, advanced to the finals of the ACC Tournament, and earned a trip to the postseason in the NIT.
Sendek coached NC State to the NCAA tournament five consecutive years from 2002 until 2006 (tying the school record). He had his most success during these last five years, winning his 100th game at NC State in 2002 and having a winning conference record in each year but one. In 2004, Sendek won ACC Coach of the Year and Julius Hodge, one of Sendek's most prized recruits during his NC State tenure, won the ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year. In 2005, NC State upset defending champion Connecticut in the second round of the NCAA tournament to advance to the Sweet Sixteen, NC State's deepest run into the tournament during Sendek's years. Sendek finished his NC State coaching career with a 71–88 record in the ACC and a 32–87 record against RPI top 50 teams. On April 3, 2006, Sendek accepted the head coaching job at Arizona State.
was named head coach in May 2006 after a month-long search that included such targets as Rick Barnes
, John Beilein
, John Calipari
and Steve Lavin
. Lowe's first season got off to a good start as the Wolfpack won its first five games. State's first three ACC contests were losses, however, and the team finished the regular season at 15–14, tenth place in the ACC at 5–11. Despite depth issues, the squad made a surprising run to the ACC Tournament championship game in Tampa, winning three games in three days before losing to North Carolina, 89–80. The Wolfpack was given a berth in the NIT
, its first since 2000
. There the Pack defeated Drexel on the road and Marist in Reynolds Coliseum before losing in the third round at West Virginia
. After the season, Lowe was rewarded with a contract extension lasting through the 2012–13 season, but after a disappointing 2010-11 season, Lowe resigned his position as NC State's coach.
was named head coach on April 5, 2011 after a three week search.
began seeding the tournament with the 1979 edition
.
- David Thompson's #44 is NC State's only retired number.
NC State Wolfpack
The athletic teams of the North Carolina State University, known as the Wolfpack, compete in 24 intercollegiate varsity sports. NC State is a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and has won eight national championships: two NCAA championships, two AIAW championships, and four titles...
men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team represents North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Wolfpack currently competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
, of which it was a founding member.
Prior to joining the ACC in 1954 the Wolfpack was a member of the Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
, where the Pack won seven conference championships. As a member of the ACC the Wolfpack has won ten conference championships and two national championships. State's unexpected 1983 title
1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 52 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 2, 1983, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at The Pit, then officially known...
was one of the most memorable in NCAA history.
Since 1999 the Wolfpack has played most of its home games in the RBC Center.
Program history
NC State began varsity intercollegiate competition in men's basketball in 1911. In 99 years of play, the Wolfpack ranks 24th in total victories among NCAA Division I college basketballCollege basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
programs and 26th in winning percentage among programs with at least twenty six or 26 years in Division I. The team's all-time record is 1503-894 (.627).
The program saw its greatest success during the head coaching tenures of Everett Case
Everett Case
Everett N. Case , nicknamed "Gray Fox", was a basketball coach most notable for his tenure at North Carolina State University, from 1946 to 1964....
(1946–1965), Norm Sloan
Norm Sloan
Norman Sloan , nicknamed "Stormin' Norman," was an American college basketball player and coach. Sloan played college basketball for North Carolina State University, and thereafter, he was the men's basketball head coach for Presbyterian College, The Citadel, the University of Florida and North...
(1967–1980), and Jim Valvano
Jim Valvano
James Thomas Anthony "Jim" Valvano , nicknamed Jimmy V, was an American college basketball coach.While the head basketball coach at North Carolina State University, he won the 1983 NCAA Basketball Tournament against high odds...
(1980–1990).
NC State has produced some of the ACC's best players, including Tom Burleson, Rodney Monroe
Rodney Monroe
Rodney Monroe is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2nd round of the 1991 NBA Draft. A 6'3" shooting guard, Monroe played only one year in the NBA with the Hawks during the 1991–92 season, appearing in 38 games and scoring a total of...
, Monte Towe
Monte Towe
Monte Corwin Towe is an American basketball coach and retired player.Towe attended Oak Hill High School in Converse, Indiana...
, and Ron Shavlik. David Thompson
David Thompson (basketball)
David O'Neil Thompson is a former American professional basketball star with the Denver Nuggets of both the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association , as well as the Seattle SuperSonics...
, who led the Wolfpack to its first NCAA title in 1974
1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It was the first tournament to officially be designated as a Division I championship—previously, NCAA member...
, has been recognized as one of college basketball's greatest players.
The Wolfpack has won a total of 17 conference tournament championships and 13 regular season conference titles. State has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 22 times, with three Final Four appearances (1950, 1974, 1983) and two national titles (1974, 1983). The Wolfpack also appeared in the Final Four of the 1947 National Invitational Tournament, which was during the NIT's "national championship era."
The early years (1910–1945)
In 1910 Guy Bryan formed a special committee that proposed to the university administration the organization of the school's first basketball team. The program played its first official intercollegiate basketball game on February 16, 1911 against a much more experienced squad from Wake ForestWake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference and their homecourt is the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Their only Final Four appearance was in 1962 and through the years they have produced several NBA players. The Demon Deacons have...
. NC State, then known as the North Carolina A&M Farmers, lost, 33-6. The two teams met again five days later in Raleigh, with A&M earning its first-ever victory, 19-18. The following year, the school's athletics council officially recognized basketball as a sport.
Before the 1920–21 season the university changed its name from North Carolina A&M to North Carolina State College. At that time the school's nickname was the "Tech." That season the program joined the fledgling Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
as a charter member. State College changed its nickname yet again in 1923, this time to the "Red Terrors." The name was drawn from a combination of the play of Rochelle "Red" Johnson and the team's new bright red road uniforms. Also in 1923, State opened its first basketball facility, Frank Thompson Gym. The gym, named in honor of a former athlete from the school who died in action during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, served as the team's home until 1948. During the first years of the program, the team had no practice facility and was forced to practice on an outdoor field in nearby Pullen Park
Pullen Park
Pullen Park is a public park in Raleigh, North Carolina west of downtown, adjacent to the campus of North Carolina State University, between Western Boulevard and Hillsborough Street. The park features picnic areas, a concessions stand along with several small rides including the Pullen Park...
.
Gus Tebell took over the basketball team as head coach in 1924. During his tenure he led the program to a number of school firsts, including the first conference championship in 1929 and the first 20-win season. He compiled a then all-time program best career coaching record at 79-36. The Wolfpack's first player to garner significant national recognition was Bud Rose, who, after the 1931–32 season, was named as an honorable mention All-American.
In 1941 the university began construction on William Neal Reynolds Coliseum
Reynolds Coliseum
William Neal Reynolds Coliseum is a multi-purpose arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina on the North Carolina State University campus. The arena was built to host a variety of events, including agricultural expositions and NC State basketball games...
, a multi-purpose arena that would serve as the new home of Wolfpack basketball. Construction was stalled due to the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the skeleton structure of the arena was left unfinished for nearly six years until its completion in 1949. The Wolfpack would play its home games at Reynolds for the next 50 years, until the men's team moved to the RBC Center in 1999.
Everett Case era (1946–1965)
Following the end of World War II, chancellor John W. HarrelsonJohn W. Harrelson
John William Harrelson was born in Double Shoals, Cleveland County, North Carolina, USA, on 28 June 1885. He was educated at North Carolina State University, where he earned a B.A. in engineering in 1909 and an M.S. in mechanical engineering in 1915...
and athletic director H.A. Fisher set upon rebuilding the university's athletic teams. In 1946 David Clark, a former president of the NC State Alumni Association, suggested to the Athletics Council that the best place to search for a new head basketball coach would be in Indiana, which was a basketball hotbed at the time. Per Clark's suggestion, Harrelson met with Indiana native Chuck Taylor
Chuck Taylor (salesman)
Charles Hollis "Chuck" Taylor was an American basketball player and shoe salesman/evangelist. He is best known for his association with the Chuck Taylor All-Stars sneaker, the most successful selling basketball shoe in history...
who was in Raleigh to coach his army team in an exhibition game against NC State. Taylor's recommendation for the job was his former high school coach Everett Case
Everett Case
Everett N. Case , nicknamed "Gray Fox", was a basketball coach most notable for his tenure at North Carolina State University, from 1946 to 1964....
. When approached by Harrelson about the job, Case was at first hesitant because of the tight restrictions under which the program had been operating. Harrelson assured Case that he would be given an expanded budget and more than enough scholarships to field a competitive team. Additionally, Case was lured by the still unfinished Reynolds Coliseum. He accepted the job almost immediately without ever visiting the campus.
Six consecutive Southern Conference titles
Everett Case was named head coach on July 1, 1946. Case had previously coached high school basketball in Indiana, where in 23 seasons he compiled a 726-75 record and won four state championships. Before arriving at NC State, he spent two years as an assistant coach at the University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and spent several years coaching teams at various Naval bases during the war. In February 1947, his first season at NC State, Case defeated arch-rival North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
in Chapel Hill, 48-46 in overtime, beginning a streak of 15 consecutive victories over the Tar Heels. Later that month, an afternoon game in Thompson Gym against Duke
Duke Blue Devils men's basketball
The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I...
was postponed by city fire officials because of overcrowding. That evening the game was officially canceled after fans were found sneaking through bathroom windows, breaking down doors, and hiding in the basement. Less than three weeks later, Case guided the Red Terrors to their first Southern Conference championship in 18 years. Case and his team celebrated by performing an Indiana high school tradition of cutting down the nets. The tradition soon spread to college teams across the nation and survives amongst championship teams to this day. Soon after his arrival, Case was named "Tar Heel of the Week" by the Raleigh News and Observer, citing that "since the little man came here from Indiana...basketball has almost supplanted politics as the favorite topic of discussion in the North Carolina capital." In Case's second season as head coach the team changed its nickname from the Red Terrors to the Wolfpack.
In February 1948, Case made alterations to the design of the still incomplete Reynolds Coliseum. Attempting to usurp Duke
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
's Cameron Indoor Stadium
Cameron Indoor Stadium
Cameron Indoor Stadium is an indoor arena located on the West Campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. It is home to the Duke Blue Devils men's and women's basketball teams, the women's volleyball team, and the men's wrestling team....
as the largest basketball arena in the area, Case insisted that the blueprints be changed to increase the maximum capacity from 9,000 seats to more than 11,000. Construction resumed later that month after a final shipment of steel arrived in Raleigh. Reynolds officially opened its doors on December 2, 1949, with a Wolfpack win over Washington & Lee, 67–47, in front of a sell-out crowd of 11,020. At that time, the arena was the largest college basketball facility in the southeast. Soon after Reynolds' opening, the Greensboro News & Record
Greensboro News & Record
The News & Record is the largest newspaper serving Guilford County and the surrounding region. It is based in Greensboro, NC, and produces local sections for Greensboro and Rockingham County, NC. As of April, 2011, it had an average weekday circulation of 60,993 and an average Sunday circulation...
wrote that Raleigh had become "the basketball capital of the world. Immediately, at once."
Later that month, December 28–30, the first annual Dixie Classic
Dixie Classic (Basketball Tournament)
The Dixie Classic was an annual college basketball tournament played from 1949 to 1960 in Reynolds Coliseum. The field consisted of the "Big Four" North Carolina schools, the host NC State Wolfpack, Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels, and Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and four teams from...
tournament was held in Reynolds. The Dixie Classic was a three-day tournament held each December until 1961 that matched the four Tobacco Road
Tobacco Road
Tobacco Road refers to the tobacco-producing area of North Carolina and is often used when referring to sports played among rival North Carolina universities...
schools of NC State, North Carolina, Duke, and Wake Forest against four of the top teams from across the country. In its time the Dixie Classic became the largest regular season tournament in college basketball. After finishing the season at 27-6 and winning its fourth consecutive Southern Conference Tournament, the Wolfpack received invitations to both the National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
and the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. Case declined the NIT bid and accepted the invitation to the program's first ever NCAA Tournament. The team defeated Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
before losing to eventual champion City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
, 78-73. NC State went on to defeat Baylor
Baylor Bears men's basketball
The Baylor Bears basketball team represents Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Bears compete in the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games in Ferrell Center and is currently coached by Scott Drew....
in the third-place game, 53–41. The Wolfpack won its fifth consecutive Southern Conference title in 1951 and its sixth the following year. Both seasons ended in early exits from the NCAA Tournament, though. In 1951 State defeated Villanova
Villanova Wildcats men's basketball
This is the article about the men's basketball team from Villanova University. The team has competed since the 1920–21 season. Nicknamed the "Wildcats", Villanova is a member of the Big East Conference and the Philadelphia Big Five. The Villanova Wildcats have appeared in the NCAA...
in the first round before losing to Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball
The Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at Assembly Hall, located on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's campus in Champaign....
. In 1952 the team lost in the first round to St. John's
St. John's Red Storm men's basketball
The St. John's Red Storm men's basketball team represents the St. John's University in Queens, New York. The team participates in the Big East Conference. The men’s coach Norm Roberts was fired on March 19, 2010...
and future North Carolina head coach Frank McGuire
Frank McGuire
Frank Joseph McGuire was an American athletic coach who gained his greatest renown in collegiate basketball....
.
The Wolfpack's six-year winning streak against North Carolina came to an end in January 1953, as the Wolfpack, ranked #17 in the country, lost to the unranked Tar Heels in Raleigh, 70–69. It was the first match between the two schools since the hiring of Frank McGuire the previous summer. McGuire inflamed NC State players and fans by having his players cut down the nets in Reynolds Coliseum following the victory. Despite the loss, the Pack finished first in the conference at 13-3 but lost in the conference tournament championship game. The team was ranked 18th in the final AP poll of 1953 but was left out of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years.
The move to the ACC
By the end of the 1952–53 season the Southern Conference had bloated to 17 members and was still seen as a football-centric conference. Maryland and Duke had become national football powers and there weren't many schools in the conference that could regularly compete against them. In an effort to create a more balanced round-robin schedule and thus secure an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl, the top eight football schools from the conference—Maryland, Duke, UNC, Virginia, South Carolina, Clemson, Wake Forest, and NC State—left to form the Atlantic Coast ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
.
NC State's first ACC contest was on the road against Wake Forest in December 1953. The Wolfpack was ranked #8 in the nation at the time, but just as in the first ever meeting between the two schools, Wake Forest prevailed. Case and his squad defeated the Demon Deacons later that season in the first-ever ACC Tournament championship game, 82-80 in overtime. The victory meant a return trip to the NCAA Tournament
1954 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1954 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 24 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 8, 1954, and ended with the championship game on March 20 in Kansas City, Missouri...
, where NC State defeated George Washington in the first round before losing to eventual champion La Salle in the second round. Case's squad won a second ACC title the following year, defeating Duke in 87-77 in the championship game. The team finished with a 28-4 record but was ineligible for postseason play due to NCAA sanctions. The Wolfpack brought home a third consecutive ACC title in the 1955–56 season, setting a record for consecutive ACC championships that stood until 2002. The team also played in its first televised game earlier that season, losing to North Carolina in Chapel Hill, 73–69. State struggled in the 1956–57 season, finishing fifth in the conference for the first time under Case. State's loss in the first round of that year's ACC Tournament
1957 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament
The 1957 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament was held in Raleigh, North Carolina at Reynolds Coliseum from March 7-9, 1957. North Carolina defeated South Carolina 95-75 to win the championship...
also marked the first time that Case did not lead his team to the conference championship game. The team finished third in 1958 and was ranked 20th in the nation at the season's end but again lost early in the ACC Tournament
1958 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament
The 1958 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament was held in Raleigh, North Carolina at Reynolds Coliseum from March 6-8, 1958. Maryland defeated North Carolina 86-74 to win their first tournament championship, making Maryland the first school outside of North Carolina to win the title...
, this time to North Carolina in the quarterfinals.
The 1958 Dixie Classic brought to Reynolds Coliseum some of the most talented teams ever assembled for the tournament. Included in the field were eight players who eventually earned All-American honors, including NC State's Lou Pucillo
Lou Pucillo
Lou Pucillo Lou Pucillo Lou Pucillo (born 1936 in Philadelphia is best known for being an outstanding college basketball player for North Carolina State University Wolfpack from 1956-1959. Being only 5 foot 9 inches and 155 lbs., he was the smallest player to ever be recruited by Everett...
and John Richter
John Richter
John Fritz Richter was an American basketball player. He attended Frankford High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, North Carolina's Lee Shaffer, York Larese, and Doug Moe, Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball
The Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. They currently compete in the Big East Conference and are coached by Mick Cronin. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in...
's Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
, Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans men's basketball
The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represents Michigan State University and competes in the Big Ten Conference of NCAA Division I. The team currently plays at the Breslin Student Events Center...
's Johnny Green
Johnny Green (basketball)
John M. Green is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'5" power forward/center from Michigan State University, Green spent 14 seasons in the NBA, playing for the New York Knicks, Baltimore Bullets, San Diego Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Cincinnati Royals, and Kansas City-Omaha Kings...
, and Louisville
Louisville Cardinals men's basketball
The Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team is the 18th winningest college basketball team in NCAA Division I history and has the 10th best winning percentage in college basketball history. Currently coached by Rick Pitino, the Cardinals of the University of Louisville have been to 37 NCAA...
's Don Goldstein. Later that season, NC State, ranked #10 in the nation, defeated North Carolina, ranked #5, 80-56 to win their fourth ACC championship in six seasons. The Pack finished the season ranked #6 with a 22-4 record, but was again ineligible for the NCAA Tournament.
Case's final years
The 1959–60 Wolfpack team finished with an 11–15 record, marking Case's first losing season in Raleigh. The team finished fourth in the ACC in 1961 and third in 1962 but lost in the first round of the conference tournament both seasons. In the summer of 1962, Case, then 62 years old, hired his former player and then Clemson head coach Press MaravichPress Maravich
Petar "Press" Maravich was an American college and professional basketball coach. He received the nickname "Press" for always having gossip-styled updates in his hometown of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, a Pittsburgh suburb. Maravich Sr...
to be his top assistant. Case's health began to deteriorate rapidly over the following two seasons as the Wolfpack finished fifth in the ACC in 1963 and seventh in 1964. The seventh place finish was the lowest of Case's tenure and would prove to be his last. On December 7, 1964, just two games into the season, Everett Case retired and named Maravich as his successor. During his tenure, Case won six Southern Conference titles, four ACC titles, and qualified for the NCAA Tournament twice. His overall record of 377-134 remains the best in NC State history.
Maravich led the Pack to second place finish in the conference and an ACC championship, its first in six years. After State defeated eighth-ranked Duke in the championship game, 91–85, Case, by then using a wheelchair, was rolled on court to cut the final strand from the net. Maravich had originally been hired in part because of his son Pete Maravich
Pete Maravich
Peter "Pistol Pete" Press Maravich was an American professional basketball player. Born and raised in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Maravich starred in college at Louisiana State University and played for three NBA teams until injuries induced him to retire in 1980...
, who at the time was a highly touted high school player. After Pete failed to qualify academically at NC State, he accepted a scholarship to play at LSU. After the 1965–66 season, Press Maravich resigned as head coach of the Wolfpack to follow Pete to LSU. NC state finished eighth in the ACC in Maravich's final year. On April 30, 1966, the day after Maravich announced that he was leaving, Everett Case died while in a Raleigh hospital.
Norm Sloan era (1967–1980)
Just a week after Maravich's exit, former Wolfpack basketball and football player Norm SloanNorm Sloan
Norman Sloan , nicknamed "Stormin' Norman," was an American college basketball player and coach. Sloan played college basketball for North Carolina State University, and thereafter, he was the men's basketball head coach for Presbyterian College, The Citadel, the University of Florida and North...
was hired as the new head coach. In 1967–68, his first season, Sloan's team finished the regular season third in the ACC with a 9-5 conference record. State made it as far as the ACC championship game before losing to North Carolina 87–50, but it was the Pack's semifinal game against tenth-ranked Duke that is most remembered. Sloan realized that his team was vastly undersized against the Blue Devils. He decided, however, to use the Wolfpack's quickness to its advantage and keep the ball away from the Duke players for as much of the game as possible. Using a tactic he coined "stall-ball", Sloan instructed his players to hold the ball at halfcourt and slow the game down as much as possible. The final result was the lowest scoring game in ACC Tournament history. Duke led 4-2 at halftime and the Wolfpack held the ball for more than 13 straight minutes in the second half. In the end, State prevailed 12–10.
The following season marked another historic first in the Wolfpack program, as on December 2, 1968 Al Heartly debuted as the school's first African-American basketball player. Heartly had a solid three-year career at NC State and was named a team captain as a senior.
NC State won Sloan's first ACC title, and sixth overall, in Sloan's third season, 1969–70. The team finished the regular season at 23-7 overall and third in the conference. In the conference championship game, the Pack defeated third-ranked South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball
The South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball team represents the University of South Carolina and competes in the Southeastern Conference. The program attained national prominence under hall of fame coach Frank McGuire, posting a 205-65 record and three NCAA Sweet 16 appearances from 1967-1976...
42-39 in double overtime. With the victory, the Wolfpack was invited to its first NCAA Tournament in five years. State received a bye in the first round of the tournament and lost its first game to St. Bonaventure in the semifinals, 80-68. In the Eastern Regional third-place game, the Pack defeated Niagara, 108-88. Despite State's quick exit from the tournament, Sloan's squad finished the season ranked tenth in the AP poll, its first end-of-the-season ranking since being ranked sixth following the 1958–59 season.
During the spring of 1970, just after the season's end, Sloan signed Tom Burleson. Burleson, a 7'4" native of Newland, NC, was the first major player of the Wolfpack squad that would have a combined record of 57-1 during the 1972–73 and 1973–74 seasons to be signed. The following spring, Sloan signed the remaining pieces of the 1974 championship nucleus, 6'4" David Thompson
David Thompson (basketball)
David O'Neil Thompson is a former American professional basketball star with the Denver Nuggets of both the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association , as well as the Seattle SuperSonics...
, 5'7" point guard Monte Towe
Monte Towe
Monte Corwin Towe is an American basketball coach and retired player.Towe attended Oak Hill High School in Converse, Indiana...
, and 6'7" power forward Tim Stoddard
Tim Stoddard
Timothy Paul Stoddard is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is one of only two known men to have played in both a World Series and an NCAA basketball national championship game....
. At the time, the NCAA prohibited freshmen from competing on varsity squads and the team struggled in the following two seasons, finishing seventh in the ACC in 1970–71 and fifth in 1971–72. At 13–14 overall, the 1970–71 season was Sloan's worst and his only losing season as the Wolfpack head coach.
With the addition of Thompson, Towe, and Stoddard to the starting lineup in 1972–73, the team rebounded quickly from its recent struggles. David Thompson, known as "Skywalker" for his 44 inch vertical leap, impressed in his 1972 debut as a sophomore. In what was a 130-53 rout of Appalachian State, Thompson scored 33 points and collected 13 rebounds. On January 14, 1973 NC State played in the first nationally televised Super Bowl Sunday college basketball matchup. The third-ranked Wolfpack defeated second-ranked Maryland in College Park, 87-85. The two teams met again two months later in the ACC Tournament championship game. State won another narrow victory over the Terrapins, 76–74, to finish the season at a perfect 27–0. However, due to NCAA sanctions resulting from violations during Thompson's recruiting, the team was barred from postseason participation.
The Wolfpack's first national championship
| 1974 NCAA Tournament Championship Game Box Score | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Min | FG | FT | REB | AST | PF | PTS |
| D. Thompson David Thompson (basketball) David O'Neil Thompson is a former American professional basketball star with the Denver Nuggets of both the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association , as well as the Seattle SuperSonics... |
40 | 7–12 | 7–8 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 21 |
| M. Towe Monte Towe Monte Corwin Towe is an American basketball coach and retired player.Towe attended Oak Hill High School in Converse, Indiana... |
37 | 5–10 | 6–7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 16 |
| T. Burleson | 36 | 6–9 | 2–6 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 14 |
| M. Rivers | 40 | 4–9 | 6–9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 14 |
| T. Stoddard Tim Stoddard Timothy Paul Stoddard is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is one of only two known men to have played in both a World Series and an NCAA basketball national championship game.... |
25 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| P. Spence | 19 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| M. Moeller | 3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 200 | 26-46 | 24–34 | 34 | 14 | 17 | 76 |
| 1974 NCAA Tournament Results 1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It was the first tournament to officially be designated as a Division I championship—previously, NCAA member... |
||
|---|---|---|
| Round | Opponent | Score |
| East Quarterfinals | - | - |
| East Semifinals | Providence Providence Friars men's basketball The Providence Friars men's basketball team represents Providence College in NCAA Division I competition, in which they are a founding member of the Big East Conference. They play their home games at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island... |
92-78 |
| East Finals | Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in... |
100-72 |
| Final Four | UCLA UCLA Bruins men's basketball The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,... |
80-77 |
| Championship | Marquette Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball The Marquette Golden Eagles Basketball team is the basketball team that represents Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school's 1977 team, coached by Al McGuire, won the NCAA championship. Currently the team competes in the Big East Conference. It last played in the NCAA Division I... |
76-64 |
The NCAA sanctions against the Wolfpack were lifted after the 1972–73 season. Ranked second nationally in the first AP poll of the season, the team was poised to make another strong run. State began the season with a pair of games against East Carolina
East Carolina Pirates men's basketball
The East Carolina Pirates men's basketball team represents East Carolina University in NCAA Division I college basketball and competes in Conference USA...
and Vermont
Vermont Catamounts men's basketball
The Vermont Catamounts Basketball team is the basketball team that represent the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont. The school's team currently competes in the America East Conference and plays its home games at Patrick Gym. The team has reached the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball...
, which it won by a combined score of 176-87. The third game of the season was against seven-time defending national champions UCLA
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
and coach John Wooden
John Wooden
John Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games...
. The Pack came out sluggish and was easily defeated, 84-66. It would prove to be the team's only loss in two seasons, though, as the Pack tore through the ACC, finishing the regular season at 24-1 overall. As the team continued to rack up victories, its national ranking rose accordingly. On February 19, with just four regular season games remaining, NC State overtook UCLA for the top spot in the AP poll; it was the program's first ever #1 ranking.
As the top seed in the conference tournament, the Wolfpack received a bye in the first round. In the semifinals State easily defeated Virginia, 87-66. In the championship game the team faced off against fourth-ranked Maryland, which had lost by only six points in each of the teams' regular season meetings. Maryland jumped to an early 25-12 lead, hitting 12 of its first 14 shots. The Wolfpack cut the deficit to five points at halftime but momentum shifted throughout the second half. NC State led by four late in the game but Maryland closed the gap and sent the game to overtime, tied at 97. The Wolfpack, led by Tom Burleson's 38 points, won 103-100 in what has been heralded as one of the greatest college basketball games ever played.
Back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four seasons, Sloan and his team played their first two games on their home court. They defeated their first two opponents, Providence and Pittsburgh, by a combined 32 points to set up a Final Four rematch with UCLA. In the week leading up to the game, thousands of fans packed Reynolds Coliseum to watch the Wolfpack practice. When the two teams finally met in Greensboro, it was another tight contest for the Pack. After ending regulation tied at 65, each team scored only two points in the first overtime. UCLA took a seven-point lead in the second extra period, but NC State led by David Thompson, took the lead for the final time with 34 seconds to play. State went on to win, 80–77, and advanced to the national championship game against Marquette
Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball
The Marquette Golden Eagles Basketball team is the basketball team that represents Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school's 1977 team, coached by Al McGuire, won the NCAA championship. Currently the team competes in the Big East Conference. It last played in the NCAA Division I...
.
The championship game, played two nights later, was much less competitive than the previous contest. The game was close in the first half until Marquette coach Al McGuire
Al McGuire
Al McGuire was the head coach of the Marquette University men's basketball team from 1964 to 1977. He compiled impressive numbers throughout his coaching career, resulting in his induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992, and was also well known for his colorful personality.-Early life:He...
received two technical fouls and was ejected from the game. McGuire's exit sparked a 10-0 Wolfpack run just before halftime. NC State led by as much as 19 points in the second half and ultimately won, 76–64.
Thompson left NC State after his senior season in 1975 as the school's most decorated player. He won every major national player of the year award in 1975, in addition to being a three-time consensus First-Team All-America honoree, a three-time unanimous First-Team All-ACC honoree, and a three-time ACC Player of the Year winner. In his 86 games, Thompson scored 2,309 points (26.8 ppg); he still holds the Wolfpack records for points scored in a single season (838 in 1974–75) and points scored in a single game (57 in 1974). His #44 jersey remains the only retired jersey in NC State history, though others have been honored.
Sloan remained head coach through the 1979–80 season. His last team (1979–80) team reached the NCAA Tournament, losing to Iowa in the second round. Also, twice during his final six seasons in Raleigh his teams played in the NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
. In 1976, the Pack advanced to the semifinals
1976 National Invitation Tournament
The 1976 National Invitation Tournament was the 1976 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 12 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....
and in 1978, it defeated South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball
The South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball team represents the University of South Carolina and competes in the Southeastern Conference. The program attained national prominence under hall of fame coach Frank McGuire, posting a 205-65 record and three NCAA Sweet 16 appearances from 1967-1976...
, Detroit, and Georgetown before falling to Texas
Texas Longhorns men's basketball
The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Longhorns currently compete in the Big 12 Conference....
in the championship game
1978 National Invitation Tournament
The 1978 National Invitation Tournament was the 1978 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 16 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....
. In his final season, he led the program to its 1000th victory. After resigning from NC State, Sloan returned to Florida
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
, where he had previously coached from 1961–1965.
Jim Valvano era (1980–1990)
Following Sloan's exit, Jim Valvano
Jim Valvano
James Thomas Anthony "Jim" Valvano , nicknamed Jimmy V, was an American college basketball coach.While the head basketball coach at North Carolina State University, he won the 1983 NCAA Basketball Tournament against high odds...
was hired as head coach on March 27, 1980. Valvano had previously coached at Iona, where he compiled a 94-47 record over five seasons. Valvano's teams saw incremental improvement in his first two seasons, finishing seventh in the ACC in 1981 and fourth in 1982.
| 1983 NCAA Tournament Results 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 52 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 2, 1983, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at The Pit, then officially known... |
||
|---|---|---|
| Round | Opponent | Score |
| First round | Pepperdine Pepperdine University Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of... |
69-67 2OT |
| Second round | UNLV UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball The UNLV Runnin' Rebels are a NCAA Division I men's basketball team who play at the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada. Their most recent appearance in the NCAA Tournament was in 2011 when they received an at–large bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, earning an 8-seed in... |
71-70 |
| Sweet Sixteen | Utah Utah Utes men's basketball The University of Utah Utes have consistently been one of the most successful basketball programs in the NCAA. They are currently an NCAA Division I program that plays in the Pacific-12 Conference. The school has made the NCAA Tournament 26 times, which ranks 16th in NCAA history and 3rd behind... |
75-56 |
| Elite Eight | Virginia Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball The Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball program represents the University of Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the NCAA's Division I. The team is coached by Tony Bennett.-Statistics:-Retired numbers:-Retired jerseys:... |
63-62 |
| Final Four | Georgia Georgia Bulldogs men's basketball The Georgia Bulldogs basketball program is the men's college basketball team representing the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Established in 1891, the team has competed in the Southeastern Conference since its inception in 1932... |
67-60 |
| Championship | Houston Houston Cougars men's basketball The Houston Cougars men's basketball team represents the University of Houston in Houston, Texas in U.S. NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The university is a member of Conference USA... |
54-52 |
Expectations were high before the 1982–83 season, but a foot injury to Dereck Whittenburg
Dereck Whittenburg
-Notes:...
slowed the team to a fourth place regular season finish. Whittenburg returned to the court in time for the ACC Tournament
1983 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament
The 1983 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament was held in Atlanta, Georgia at the Omni from March 11-13. NC State defeated Virginia 81-78 to win the championship. Sidney Lowe was named the Tournament MVP. It was the first time that the event was held in Atlanta.-Bracket:*Denotes...
, which the Pack needed to win in order to secure a second consecutive berth in the NCAA Tournament. State did just that, defeating heavily favored North Carolina and Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball
The Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball program represents the University of Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the NCAA's Division I. The team is coached by Tony Bennett.-Statistics:-Retired numbers:-Retired jerseys:...
squads led by Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
and Ralph Sampson
Ralph Sampson
Ralph Lee Sampson, Jr. is a retired American college and professional basketball player.A 7-foot-4 phenom, three-time College Player of the Year, and No...
, respectively. The Wolfpack would not lose again. Their close games and exciting finishes in the ACC Tournament and early rounds of the NCAA tournament earned them the moniker The Cardiac Pack. As a #6 seed in the NCAA Tournament
1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 52 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 2, 1983, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at The Pit, then officially known...
, the Wolfpack won narrow victories over Pepperdine (in double overtime) and UNLV (71–70) before defeating Utah
Utah Utes men's basketball
The University of Utah Utes have consistently been one of the most successful basketball programs in the NCAA. They are currently an NCAA Division I program that plays in the Pacific-12 Conference. The school has made the NCAA Tournament 26 times, which ranks 16th in NCAA history and 3rd behind...
in the Sweet Sixteen, 75-56. In the regional final, NC State again defeated Virginia, 63-62, then defeated Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs men's basketball
The Georgia Bulldogs basketball program is the men's college basketball team representing the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Established in 1891, the team has competed in the Southeastern Conference since its inception in 1932...
in the Final Four to advance to the championship game against Houston
Houston Cougars men's basketball
The Houston Cougars men's basketball team represents the University of Houston in Houston, Texas in U.S. NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The university is a member of Conference USA...
. The Cougars, nicknamed Phi Slama Jama for their athletic, fast-paced style of play that featured Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler
Clyde Austin "Clyde The Glide" Drexler is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard and small forward. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA named him one of basketball's fifty greatest players as of 1996. Drexler won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and...
and Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
, were expected to win easily over the underdog Wolfpack. NC State escaped with their second national title after a last-second air ball by Dereck Whittenburg was caught and dunked by Lorenzo Charles
Lorenzo Charles
Lorenzo Emile "Lo" Charles was an American college and professional basketball player.Charles was a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School...
. The 54-52 final is one of the most famous in college basketball history.http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/basketball/men/02tourney/greatest-games.htm
Valvano's 1984 team finished 7th in the ACC and lost in the first round of the NIT
1984 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Virginia Tech 71, Southwestern Louisiana 70...
to future conference foe Florida State. The following season, with the addition of guard Vinny Del Negro
Vinny Del Negro
Vincent Joseph "Vinny" Del Negro is a retired American basketball player. He is the current head coach of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, and was the head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 2008 until 2010.-Early life:...
, the Pack began a run of five consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. The Pack reached the Elite Eight in 1985
1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. This was the first year the field was expanded to 64 teams, from 53 in the previous year's tournament. It began...
and 1986
1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1986, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Dallas, Texas...
and the Sweet Sixteen in 1989
1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 1989, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Seattle, Washington...
. In 1987, after a sixth place finish in the regular season, NC State made another surprising run through the ACC Tournament
1987 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament
The 1987 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament took place in Landover, Maryland at the Capital Centre. NC State defeated North Carolina 68-67 to win the championship. Vinny Del Negro of NC State was tournament MVP.-Bracket:...
. In the championship game, State defeated rival North Carolina, which had gone undefeated in conference play. It was the program's last ACC championship to date. State finished second in the conference the following year and was a #3 seed in the NCAA Tournament
1988 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1988 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1988, and ended with the championship game on April 4 returning to Kansas City, Missouri...
. The team made an early exit, though, losing to #14 seed Murray State
Murray State Racers men's basketball
Murray State Racers men's basketball program represents intercollegiate men's basketball at Murray State University. The school competes in the Ohio Valley Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play home games at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky. Steve...
in the first round.
Valvano's final season in Raleigh was mired in controversy after the release of the book, Personal Fouls, written by Peter Golenbock. In the book, Golenbock alleged improper practices and a lack of institutional control in the NC State athletics department. The allegations included grade fixing, lowered or waived entrance requirements for athletes, the selling of tickets and sneakers by athletes, and frequent drug use by athletes. The claims were refuted by Valvano and Chancellor Bruce Poulton
Bruce Poulton
Bruce Poulton was born in Yonkers, New York in 1928. He was educated at Rutgers University, where he received a Ph.D. in endocrinology in 1956....
. The NCAA, under Valvano's request, investigated the matter and found nothing more serious than athletes selling sneakers. Allegations of grade fixing were also investigated by the NC State faculty senate and were found to be false. Allegations of point shaving were investigated by the North Carolina and New Jersey Attorneys General and found to be false. Nevertheless, due in part to the publication of Personal Fouls and the stigma thus attached to the program, Valvano was fired on April 7, 1990.
Les Robinson era (1990–1996)
North Carolina State University hired Robinson However, the Wolfpack lost scholarships as a result of NCAA sanctions, and the team plummeted into the ACC's second divHerb Sendek era (1996–2006)
Sendek coached NC State to the NCAA tournament five consecutive years from 2002 until 2006 (tying the school record). He had his most success during these last five years, winning his 100th game at NC State in 2002 and having a winning conference record in each year but one. In 2004, Sendek won ACC Coach of the Year and Julius Hodge, one of Sendek's most prized recruits during his NC State tenure, won the ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year. In 2005, NC State upset defending champion Connecticut in the second round of the NCAA tournament to advance to the Sweet Sixteen, NC State's deepest run into the tournament during Sendek's years. Sendek finished his NC State coaching career with a 71–88 record in the ACC and a 32–87 record against RPI top 50 teams. On April 3, 2006, Sendek accepted the head coaching job at Arizona State.
Sidney Lowe era (2006–2011)
Sidney LoweSidney Lowe
Sidney Rochell Lowe is an American basketball coach and is currently an assistant coach with the Utah Jazz. He is a former NBA player and head coach, and has served as the head coach at North Carolina State University,.-Biography:Lowe began his career at DeMatha Catholic High School in...
was named head coach in May 2006 after a month-long search that included such targets as Rick Barnes
Rick Barnes
Richard Dale Barnes is the current head coach of the University of Texas Longhorns men's basketball team. He has coached Texas for the last twelve seasons, taking the team to the NCAA Tournament each year, including a Final Four appearance led by T. J. Ford in 2003...
, John Beilein
John Beilein
John Beilein is an American college basketball coach and current men's basketball head coach at the University of Michigan. He is the 16th head coach of the Michigan Wolverines. The 2010–11 season was his fourth at Michigan, with whom he has a six-year contract...
, John Calipari
John Calipari
John Calipari is an American basketball coach. Since April 2009, he has been the men's head coach at the University of Kentucky....
and Steve Lavin
Steve Lavin
Steve Lavin is an American basketball coach and former player. He is currently the head men's basketball coach at St. John's University in Queens, New York. Lavin previously served as the head coach for UCLA....
. Lowe's first season got off to a good start as the Wolfpack won its first five games. State's first three ACC contests were losses, however, and the team finished the regular season at 15–14, tenth place in the ACC at 5–11. Despite depth issues, the squad made a surprising run to the ACC Tournament championship game in Tampa, winning three games in three days before losing to North Carolina, 89–80. The Wolfpack was given a berth in the NIT
2006 National Invitation Tournament
-Michigan Bracket:-Louisville Bracket:-Cincinnati Bracket:-Semifinals & Finals:...
, its first since 2000
2000 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Penn State 74, N.C. State 72...
. There the Pack defeated Drexel on the road and Marist in Reynolds Coliseum before losing in the third round at West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball
The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represents West Virginia University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. It is a member of the Big East Conference. West Virginia most recently reached the Final Four of the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, led by...
. After the season, Lowe was rewarded with a contract extension lasting through the 2012–13 season, but after a disappointing 2010-11 season, Lowe resigned his position as NC State's coach.
Mark Gottfried era (2011–Current)
Mark GottfriedMark Gottfried
Mark Frederick Gottfried is an American men's college basketball coach and former player. He was named head coach of NC State on April 5, 2011....
was named head coach on April 5, 2011 after a three week search.
Results by season (1980–2011)
NCAA Tournament seeding history
The NCAANational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
began seeding the tournament with the 1979 edition
1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 40 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 9, 1979, and ended with the championship game on March 26 in Salt Lake City, Utah...
.
| Years → | '79 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 40 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 9, 1979, and ended with the championship game on March 26 in Salt Lake City, Utah... |
'80 1980 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1980 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 6, 1980, and ended with the championship game on March 24 in Indianapolis, Indiana... |
'81 1981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1981, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... |
'82 1982 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1982 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1982, and ended with the championship game on March 29 in New Orleans, Louisiana... |
'83 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 52 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 2, 1983, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at The Pit, then officially known... |
'84 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 53 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1984, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Seattle, Washington. A total of... |
'85 1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. This was the first year the field was expanded to 64 teams, from 53 in the previous year's tournament. It began... |
'86 1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1986, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Dallas, Texas... |
'87 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1987, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in New Orleans, Louisiana... |
'88 1988 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1988 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1988, and ended with the championship game on April 4 returning to Kansas City, Missouri... |
'89 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 1989, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Seattle, Washington... |
'90 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 1990, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Denver, Colorado... |
'91 1991 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1991 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 14, 1991, and ended with the championship game on April 1 in Indianapolis, Indiana... |
'92 1992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 19, 1992, and ended with the championship game on April 6 in Minneapolis, Minnesota... |
'93 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 18, 1993, and ended with the championship game on April 5 in New Orleans, Louisiana... |
'94 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1994, and ended with the championship game on April 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina... |
'95 1995 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1995 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 1995, and ended with the championship game on April 3 at the Kingdome in Seattle,... |
'96 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 14, 1996, and ended with the championship game on April 1 at Continental Airlines Arena in... |
'97 1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1997, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Indianapolis, Indiana... |
'98 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1998, and ended with the championship game on March 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,... |
'99 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1999, and ended with the championship game on March 29 at Tropicana Field in St.... |
'00 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2000, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana... |
'01 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 2001 with the play-in game, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in... |
'02 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 2002, and ended with the championship game on April 1 in Atlanta, Georgia... |
'03 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 18, 2003, and ended with the championship game on April 7 in New Orleans, Louisiana... |
'04 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,... |
'05 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 2005, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at the Edward Jones Dome in St... |
'06 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2005–06 basketball season... |
'07 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season... |
'08 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season... |
'09 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT.... |
'10 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's... |
'11 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seeds → | ||||
| 4 | ||||
| 7 | 6 | |||
| 3 | 6 | 11 | 3 | 5 |
| 6 | ||||
| 7 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 10 |
Current roster
Honored Jerseys
| No. | Player | Years |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Nate McMillan Nate McMillan Nathaniel "Nate" McMillan is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers... |
1985–86 |
| 13 | Chris Corchiani Chris Corchiani Christopher Corchiani is a retired American professional basketball player. Corchiani's college career lasted from 1988 to 1991 at North Carolina State University.... |
1988–91 |
| 14 | Vinny Del Negro Vinny Del Negro Vincent Joseph "Vinny" Del Negro is a retired American basketball player. He is the current head coach of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, and was the head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 2008 until 2010.-Early life:... |
1985–88 |
| 14 | Vann Williford Vann Williford Duncan Vann Williford is a retired American professional basketball player. He played one season for the American Basketball Association's Carolina Cougars during the 1970–71 ABA season... |
1968–70 |
| 15 | Erik Maarten | 1974–76 |
| 21 | Rodney Monroe Rodney Monroe Rodney Monroe is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2nd round of the 1991 NBA Draft. A 6'3" shooting guard, Monroe played only one year in the NBA with the Hawks during the 1991–92 season, appearing in 38 games and scoring a total of... |
1988–91 |
| 24 | Tommy Burleson Tommy Burleson Tommy Loren Burleson is an American and former collegiate and professional basketball player... |
1972–74 |
| 24 | Tom Gugliotta Tom Gugliotta Thomas James Gugliotta is a former American professional basketball player.... |
1989–92 |
| 24 | Julius Hodge Julius Hodge Julius Melvin Hodge is an American professional basketball player.Hodge was selected 20th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He played four years at North Carolina State University... |
2002–05 |
| 24 | John Richter John Richter John Fritz Richter was an American basketball player. He attended Frankford High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... |
1957–59 |
| 25 | Monte Towe Monte Towe Monte Corwin Towe is an American basketball coach and retired player.Towe attended Oak Hill High School in Converse, Indiana... |
1973–75 |
| 25 | Dereck Whittenburg Dereck Whittenburg -Notes:... |
1980–83 |
| 32 | Kenny Carr Kenny Carr Kenneth Alan Carr is a retired American basketball player.A 6'7" forward from North Carolina State University, Carr won a gold medal with the United States national basketball team at the 1976 Summer Olympics... |
1974–77 |
| 35 | Sidney Lowe Sidney Lowe Sidney Rochell Lowe is an American basketball coach and is currently an assistant coach with the Utah Jazz. He is a former NBA player and head coach, and has served as the head coach at North Carolina State University,.-Biography:Lowe began his career at DeMatha Catholic High School in... |
1980–83 |
| 41 | Thurl Bailey Thurl Bailey Thurl Lee Bailey is an American retired professional basketball player in the NBA whose career spanned from 1983 to 1999 with the Utah Jazz and the Minnesota Timberwolves.- Basketball career :... |
1979–83 |
| 44 | David Thompson David Thompson (basketball) David O'Neil Thompson is a former American professional basketball star with the Denver Nuggets of both the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association , as well as the Seattle SuperSonics... |
1973–75 |
| 52 | Todd Fuller Todd Fuller Todd Douglas Fuller is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 11th overall pick of the 1996 NBA Draft. He played in five NBA seasons from 1996-2001 for the Warriors, Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat averaging 3.7 ppg... |
1992–96 |
| 70 | Dick Dickey Dick Dickey Richard Lea "Dick" Dickey was an American professional basketball player for the National Professional Basketball League's Anderson Packers and National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics, although he is best remembered for his college career while playing at NC State.-Early life:Dickey was... |
1947–50 |
| 73 | Vic Molodet | 1954–56 |
| 77 | Sam Ranzino Sam Ranzino Samuel Salvador "Sam" Ranzino was an American college and professional basketball player. He was an All-American guard at North Carolina State University and played one season in the NBA with the Rochester Royals.... |
1948–51 |
| 78 | Lou Pucillo Lou Pucillo Lou Pucillo Lou Pucillo Lou Pucillo (born 1936 in Philadelphia is best known for being an outstanding college basketball player for North Carolina State University Wolfpack from 1956-1959. Being only 5 foot 9 inches and 155 lbs., he was the smallest player to ever be recruited by Everett... |
1957–59 |
| 80 | Bobby Speight Bobby Speight Robert W. "Bobby" Speight, Sr. was an American college basketball standout and, later, successful businessman. A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Speight chose to stay close to home to play college basketball and decided on NC State. He would play from 1950–51 to 1952–53 under the future-Hall of... |
1951–53 |
| 83 | Ronnie Shavlik Ronnie Shavlik Ronald Dean "Ronnie" Shavlik was an All-American center for the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the 1950s. He later played briefly for the National Basketball Association's New York Knicks... |
1954–56 |
- David Thompson's #44 is NC State's only retired number.
Current coaching staff
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Mark Gottfried Mark Gottfried Mark Frederick Gottfried is an American men's college basketball coach and former player. He was named head coach of NC State on April 5, 2011.... |
Head Coach |
| Orlando Early Orlando Early Orlando Early is an American men's college basketball coach. He is currently an assistant coach at North Carolina State University under head coach Mark Gottfried.... |
Assistant Coach |
| Bobby Lutz Bobby Lutz Bobby Lutz is an American men's college basketball coach. He is currently an assistant coach at North Carolina State University under head coach Mark Gottfried. Lutz was head coach of the Charlotte 49ers basketball team from 1998 to 2010.... |
Assistant Coach |
| Rob Moxley | Assistant Coach |
| Jeff Dunlap | Director of Basketball Operations |
Coaching records
| Name | W-L | Win % | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piggy Hargrove | 1–7 | .125 | 1911–12 |
| Chuck Sandborn | 6–12 | .333 | 1913, 1916 |
| John Hegarty John Hegarty John Hegarty was elected 43rd Provost of Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland in 2001 for a ten-year term.-Life:He was born in Claremorris, County Mayo, and was educated locally at St Colman's College... |
5–8 | .385 | 1914 |
| H.S. Tucker | 5–5 | .500 | 1915 |
| Harry Hartsell Harry Hartsell -External links:... |
33-31 | .516 | 1917–18, 1922–23 |
| Tal Safford | 11-3 | .786 | 1919 |
| Richard Crozier | 24–35 | .408 | 1920–21, 1924 |
| Gus Tebell Gus Tebell -External links:... |
78-36 | .690 | 1925–30 |
| R.R. Sermon | 111-74 | .600 | 1931–40 |
| Bob Warren Bob Warren Robert G. Warren is former American professional basketball player. He was born in Murray, Kentucky.Warren played forward at the Vanderbilt University from 1965 to 1968. His listed height was 6'5" and his weight was 190 lbs. He wore jersey number 21. He was named to multiple All-SEC teams and won... |
21-16 | .563 | 1941–42 |
| Leroy Jay | 28–45 | .384 | 1943–46 |
| Everett Case Everett Case Everett N. Case , nicknamed "Gray Fox", was a basketball coach most notable for his tenure at North Carolina State University, from 1946 to 1964.... |
377-134 | .738 | 1947–64† |
| Press Maravich Press Maravich Petar "Press" Maravich was an American college and professional basketball coach. He received the nickname "Press" for always having gossip-styled updates in his hometown of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, a Pittsburgh suburb. Maravich Sr... |
38-13 | .745 | 1964–66 |
| Norm Sloan Norm Sloan Norman Sloan , nicknamed "Stormin' Norman," was an American college basketball player and coach. Sloan played college basketball for North Carolina State University, and thereafter, he was the men's basketball head coach for Presbyterian College, The Citadel, the University of Florida and North... |
266-127 | .677 | 1966–80 |
| Jim Valvano Jim Valvano James Thomas Anthony "Jim" Valvano , nicknamed Jimmy V, was an American college basketball coach.While the head basketball coach at North Carolina State University, he won the 1983 NCAA Basketball Tournament against high odds... |
209-114 | .647 | 1981–90 |
| Les Robinson Les Robinson -External links:*... |
78–98 | .434 | 1991–96 |
| Herb Sendek Herb Sendek Herbert J. Sendek is an American college basketball coach and the current men's basketball coach at Arizona State University.-Background:Sendek was formally introduced as the ASU head coach on April 3, 2006.... |
191-132 | .591 | 1997–06 |
| Sidney Lowe Sidney Lowe Sidney Rochell Lowe is an American basketball coach and is currently an assistant coach with the Utah Jazz. He is a former NBA player and head coach, and has served as the head coach at North Carolina State University,.-Biography:Lowe began his career at DeMatha Catholic High School in... |
86-78 | .524 | 2007-11 |
| Mark Gottfried Mark Gottfried Mark Frederick Gottfried is an American men's college basketball coach and former player. He was named head coach of NC State on April 5, 2011.... |
5-1 | .833 | 2011-current |