Phoenix from the ashes: Just like '83, destiny and resolve fuel NC State's trip west

By Ryan Bisesi, WRAL mutliplatform producer

North Carolina State Wolfpack	50
3Purdue Boilermakers	63
Final

Phoenix — In 1983, Jim Valvano ran around looking for someone to hug.

A month ago, no one wanted to embrace Kevin Keatts. After seven years at NC State, with two NCAA Tournament losses and zero wins, redemption appeared impossible.

After a stunning run through the ACC and NCAA tournaments, Keatts and a grab bag of graduate players are on college basketball's biggest stage. From embarrassed to embarrassment of riches, State's run proves that underdog is still the most beloved namesake in college basketball. Somehow, they find themselves again heading west to chase ghosts, in hopes of recapturing the spirit of their 1983 championship.

A crash course in Tobacco Road mythology proves State is no stranger to this role. No empty platitudes here: what has transpired in recent weeks was unbelievable. The Wolfpack have won nine straight elimination games.

"What makes me really happy is we have students on our campus that have never experienced this," Keatts said on Tuesday. "I was walking around campus yesterday, and they are so excited about what our team is doing. Most of our students have only experienced this through what their parents have told them, maybe what their grandparents have told them."

Keatts drove another point home on Thursday. They're not caught up in the Cinderella storylines or any perceived lowered expectations. After losing four straight to end the regular season, it appeared some uncomfortable conversations were on the horizon regarding Keatts' future in Raleigh. But he was steadfast that potential still lingered in his team that finished 10th in the ACC during the regular season.

“We expected to be here. I know people don’t believe that," he said. "This is not a fluke. Most of our losses didn’t have anything to do with what the other team did as much as what we didn’t do. The message was, let’s clean up our mistakes and become better defensively.”

And that happened. None of State's opponents in the NCAA Tournament have shot better than 38% from the field. Graduate transfers DJ Burns and DJ Horne have been lynchpins, as if they were just waiting for a national stage all along. Burns took over in the second half against Duke, finishing with 29 points after sitting out much of the first half with foul trouble. Burns was benched at one point in January, but now the big man is playing with a weight off his shoulders.

As befuddling as it seems, State is playing Purdue in the national semifinal on Saturday. The Boilermakers and Associated Press Player of the Year Zach Edey are trying to atone for their own tournament sins after becoming the second No. 1 seed to lose to a 16-seed in 2023.

Forty years on from the last national championship, the Wolfpack fanbase is suddenly abundant with hope. Coming to an understanding as to how it happened is another story, one that will be celebrated for as long, long time.

Final Four schedule

• No. 11 NC State (26-14) vs. No. 1 Purdue (33-4) - April 6 - Tip-off: 6:09 p.m. - TV: TBS/TNT/tru TV
• No. 4 Alabama (25-11) vs. No. 1 UConn (35-3) - April 6 - Tip-off: 8:49 p.m. - TV: TBS/TNT/tru TV
• National championship game - April 8 - Tip-off: 9:20 p.m. - TV: TBS/TNT/tru TV

NC State's run in the ACC Tournament

• Defeated Louisville, 94-85
• Defeated Syracuse, 83-65
• Quarterfinal: Defeated Duke, 74-69
• Semifinal: Defeated Virginia, 73-65
• Championship: Defeated North Carolina, 84-76

NC State's run in the NCAA Tournament

• First Round: Defeated No. 6 Texas Tech, 80-67
• Second Round: Defeated No. 14 Oakland, 79-73
• Sweet 16: Defeated Marquette, 67-58
• Elite Eight: Defeated Duke, 76-64