Pack Performance Shows How Much They Believe in Themselves

“We came here to win the tournament." So says NC State's Gavin Grant, and Grant and his Wolfpack teammates are giving every indication that is what they intend to do. This Wolfpack team keeps fighting. Down and out at halftime Friday, the Pack rallies for the 79-71 ACC tournament quarterfinal win over Virginia.

Now, I had thought they had a good shot against Virginia. In my mind, Virginia was a weak second seed, but when State shot a miserable 33 percent in the first half and trailed by 14, I'll admit I thought they were done. So many times this season State has floundered with lackluster efforts. It appeared that was the team that had shown up against Virginia, that beating Duke the night before was satisfaction enough.

At halftime, Sidney Lowe told his team: be patient, take your time, we're not out of this thing. He may have said a few other choice things as well.

Whatever he said, he should say it every game. The Pack comes out and sets the second-half tone, opening the stanza with a 31-12 run. Maybe Virginia thought they had it, I don't know—but Lowe keeps saying that when State plays with heart, plays with passion, they can beat anybody. State could have quit, taken their NIT bid and headed home, but they didn't.

It is hard to beat a team that shoots lights out. And 73 percent in the second half is pretty much lights out. That's right—State hit 17 of 23 shots in the second half and Virginia couldn't do a thing about it. Cavs coach Dave Leitao knows his team was badly outplayed in the second half.

Gavin Grant, who can baffle you as well as dazzle you, had 20 points, including nine straight late in the game that put it away. Brandon Costner, the red shirt freshman who had 30 in the win over Duke, has 23 more on Friday night. I tell you, Costner's really good, a great touch outside and inside. He and Ben McCauley, who had 12 points, six rebounds and six assists, were to much for Virginia's inside people.

And who says State has no depth? Reserve Bryan Nieman gave State 21 tough minutes. He hit a couple of three's, and played hard defense. Lowe called him State's X-factor—a key to the win.

So, State is making a run: Duke on Thursday, Virginia on Friday.

Lowe believes in special things. He was a part of something special in 1983. Tournament play is survive-and-advance. He learned that from Jimmy V, way back when.

I expect he'll wear the Red Coat on Saturday. Don’t know that for sure, but it seems to be a good omen.

State will take on Virginia Tech in the semi-final. Something funny about this. It was this Tech team that State dominated twice during the season. State had trouble with just about everybody, but somehow they had the Hokies’ number. I mean beat ‘em by 11 in Blacksburg, 25 in Raleigh. Nobody could figure that out.

You know, what coaches have always said, it's so hard to beat a good team three times in a season. I'd think Virginia Tech would have a lot of incentive.

But then again, so does State. They know they can beat this bunch. They did it twice, convincingly. Win two more, shock the ACC.

"Pretty much we have nothing to lose," says Costner. "We feel like we can compete with anybody in the ACC..... We're just coming out to win the tournament."

But it won't be easy. The legs will be tired on Saturday, and State hasn't won three straight league games this season.

But the former MVP of this tournament is telling his team: play smart, play hard, play like you want it and good things will happen. Heart can overcome a lot.