By Will Stradler
A redemption story, a perennial championship contender, and a coach who snatched job security from the jaws of unemployment are all parts of this year’s March Madness for the Triangle area.
The concept of madness perfectly encompasses the season for this year’s NC State Wolfpack. State started the year hot, winning 11 of their first 14 games. However, the Wolfpack were quickly humbled and proceeded to limp to the end of the regular season, dropping their last four games.
Life looked bleak for NC State fans. “I was ready to mail it in and accept that the season was over,” said Aaron Kimbel, a William Peace University sophomore and NC State fan. “It felt like we had been losing for months,” said Kimbel.
The blame was quickly placed on the shoulders of Kevin Keatts, the head coach at NC State. “Our entire team constantly looked lost on the court, like they didn’t have a leader,” said Kimbel. Rumors picked up, and it became increasingly obvious that this was probably the last year for Keatts.
There was one way Keatts could save himself. He would have to win five games in five days and take home the ACC tournament championship, something the Wolfpack hadn’t done since 1987. State came into the tournament as the 10 seed out of 15 teams, having to play in the first round.
State started the tournament with an easy victory over Louisville, and then made it past Syracuse in the second round. The road was set, the Wolfpack had to beat ACC powerhouses Duke, Virginia, and North Carolina in order to make the NCAA Tournament.
Keatts led his squad through the gauntlet, capping the magical run with an 84-76 ACC Tournament win over their rivals, North Carolina. “Now I love Coach Keatts,” said Kimbel. “I think we have to give him another shot next year because he proved he can win.”
The Wolfpack earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament (also known as March Madness) as the 11-seed in the South region and are poised to continue their momentum.
State’s northwestern neighbor, the Duke Blue Devils, had a slightly more successful regular season. Duke finished 24-8 in the regular season, placing second in the final ACC standings.
The Blue Devils had a young team that was full of excitement. “There was a lot of anticipation leading up to the first game,” said Andy Duran, a lifelong Duke fan. “We always have a decent team, but the expectations for this year were very high.”
Those expectations were echoed throughout the Blue Devil faithful as Duke was returning its three best players from last year’s team. “I felt like we were going to be very balanced this year,” said Duran. “Lots of good young talent combined with a veteran presence had me feeling really good.”
The Blue Devils met those expectations, having a very successful season. Duke made it as high as seventh in the AP Poll and finished the regular season ranked 13. “We’ve had a good season so far but it hurts to lose in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament,” said Duran. “I always want Duke to win championships, it’s what they do.”
The Blue Devils failed to win any championships this year but still earned a four seed in the South region of this year’s NCAA Tournament. Experts see Duke as a potential final-four team.
Last, but certainly not least, this year’s North Carolina Tar Heels was largely considered the best out of these three teams all year. After a disappointing season a year ago, head coach Hubert Davis prepared his team extremely well for a bounce-back year.
“Last year was terrible,” said Nick Weisner, a UNC fan and William Peace Freshman. “We lost so many games and missed the entire NCAA Tournament.”
Many Tar Heel fans feared that the historic program was headed into a sharp downfall. The Heels responded to their aching fans with one of the best ACC regular seasons they have had in a decade. Winning 17 of 20 conference games and finishing the regular season at 27-7 overall.
The Tar Heels won the ACC regular season championship by having the best record at the end of the regular season. Led by the ACC Player of the Year, RJ Davis, the Heel carried momentum into the ACC tournament by winning its first two games and making it to the championship game.
“It feels like good ole fashioned North Carolina basketball,” said Weisner. “We beat Duke twice, finished first in the final standings, and are a number one seed again.”
UNC is indeed the top seed in the West region of the NCAA tournament, setting the record for the most number-one seed bids for any program.
Although the Tar Heels lost the ACC championship game to a desperate NC State squad, the Tar Heels remain one of the favorites to win the national title.