A Glass Slipper for Cinderella?

If you had asked me a week ago I would have said, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure Carolina will be in the ACC championship game, but I don't know who they'll play." I would have never guessed N.C. State. I don't think anybody could have. If somebody tells you, "Yeah I had the Pack all the way," don't believe them.

A week ago, State was coming off a 20-point loss at Maryland. They had lost six of their last eight. They were tired and dispirited, seemingly playing out the string hoping for that NIT bid. But somewhere between last Saturday and the start of the tournament on Thursday, something magical happened. Somehow Sidney Lowe got this team, that does have some talent, to believe. Coming in, Lowe said he felt something special could happen. Well, that something special, is happening.

"Keep fighting. Keep staying together," Lowe said he told his team prior to the tournament. "I didn't know that we'd play for the championship on Sunday."

What a three days N.C. State has put together to fight their way into the championship game on Sunday opposite arch rival North Carolina. And State has earned it. They've done it with smart, gutsy play, tired legs be darned. Reaching deep into the heart to forget the body is tired. They did what Virginia Tech couldn't do, hit clutch shots and made their free throws. Now, the Pack is into the championship game with the 72-64 win.

While Virginia Tech was bricking the front end of one and one's, State was hitting 24-28 from the line. Junior Gavin Grant who led State with 20 points was an automatic 11 of 11 from the stripe.

And while the Hokies were shooting 41 percent from the floor, the Wolfpack was firing away at 53 percent. Their shooting this tournament has been phenomenal

"As long as we stay with the offense, we can get what we want," says Courtney Fells who had 16 points."If we do that, we're a great team."

Three down and one more for N.C.State. Duke on Thursday, Virginia on Friday and Virginia Tech on Saturday. Who would have really thought it?

Sunday will be tough. Waiting for them will be a more rested, more talented Carolina team that has had very little trouble in winning it's two games. In fact, the Tar Heels haven't been tested yet. Saturdays' 71-56 dismantling of Boston College was never in doubt.

Carolina did exactly as they pleased. They pounded the glass, out-rebounding the Eagles 41-27. They only turned it over eight times and played what Roy Williams called their best defense in a while. They took B.C. completely out of its offense.

Tyler Hansbrough again wore the mask to protect his broken nose. It's obvious he doesn't like it and it affects his offense, but he's still very aggressive and not afraid to bang. He only scored nine points but got after it for 13 rebounds.

Brandan Wright hit on 10 of 12 from the floor for 20 points and five rebounds. Ty Lawson pushed the ball like only he can. He raced up and down the floor, scoring 10 pointsand handing out eight assists.

And in a tournament like this is where Carolina's tremendous depth is evident. I think that was in Boston College's mind even before the game began.

"That team sends 12 men, ship them out, ship them in," says ACC player of the year Jared Dudley who scored 20 points.

Carolina too has had a late season renaissance and a win in the ACC championship should give them a number one seed in the NCAA tournament. As Roy Williams has said,"We want to win this sucker." Playing State will make it that much more meaningful to them.

That's what State will have to deal with in the championship game. A talented, rested team that goes deep into its bench and that is playing with the hunger and confidence of a team that believes the championship will belong to them.

"We haven't won an ACC championship, so basically we wanted to come out strong against B.C.and not have them be in the game," said Ty Lawson. "Just get out strong and get ahead, so we don't have to fight back the whole game."

The Tar Heels did exactly that. Except for a brief Eagles spurt that cut a 20-point lead down to nine midway in the second half, Carolina was completely in charge, frustrating Boston College at every turn.

Carolina is hungry for an ACC title. UNC hasn't won one since 1998. It's been an even longer stretch for N.C. State, 20 years to be exact.

I think Carolina will win this game Sunday. I think they should. A deep, well rested team that's only played two games against a thin State team that will be playing a fourth straight day.

But there's a big reason they will play this championship game. You think you might know, but you never know, things can happen. Things have happened. I certainly didn't think that State would beat Carolina back on February 3rd. I don't think Carolina thought that either. That was the game Roy Williams called his team "fat and sassy."

State will not back down from Carolina.They will be tired for sure. Four games in four days is tough. Engin Atsur had to leave the Tech came with more hamstring problems but returned. Everyone knows his importance to the Wolfpack.

"Engin is a great guy, a great player," Gavin Grant says." He keeps everything composed, we just play off him."

Yes, State needs Atsur.

State's last ACC championship came against Carolina in 1987. 20 years ago was not unlike this year. A State team that was headed to the NIT beat a Carolina team that hadn't lost a league game all season. Of course that State team didn't have to play four games in four days.

Go back ten years and a State team did have to play four games in four days and gave a superior Carolina a scare before losing the championship game. I think this State team is better than that team, more talent. Whether this Carolina team is better than that last Dean Smith team led by Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter and Shammond Williams is yet to be seen. That '97 Tar Heel team made it to the Final Four.

It's fun to look at the past but it won't matter on Sunday. Carolina should win. It's all stacked in their favor.

Sidney Lowe, though, believes in something special and he's got his team on his wavelength. Gavin Grant has said after every game that they came to win the tournament. Three down and one to go, but the one is their most bitter enemy, powerful Carolina.

Sidney Lowe was in this position as a player way back in that magical year of '83. Nobody gave them a chance. He's in that position now in his first year as head coach.

"The way we're doing it right now is very similar to what a lot of our fans saw back in 1983," says Lowe, the MVP of the ACC tournament that year." It would be just an outstanding accomplishment for this ball club."

Lowe's '83 team did beat the odds, but I think the mountain will be much steeper on Sunday.

The coach better guard that lucky red coat like a dog guards his dinner. He'll need every little bit of extra help he can find.

Sometimes Cinderella doesn't make it home by midnight.