NC State's NCAA Tournament Loss to Texas

0:00On March 20, NC State kicked off its NCAA tournament run in Dayton with a tough first round lost to Texas, falling 68-66 in a barrier, nail-biter. The Wolfpeck, wrapping up 20 wins and 14 losses in Coach Will Wade's debut season, stayed close all game after trailing by just one at, halftime, 30-29. The game stayed tight into the second half, with NC State grabbing a brief lead on a three-pointer from Paul McNeil, Jr. Texas pulled ahead late, but the Wolfpeck mounted a furious comeback, tying it at 66 with seconds left on free throws from Trey Holliman. Fans watched Daring William shine with 21 points, including key threes, while McNeil drained back-to-back triples to pull within two. Bowles piled up for NC State, sidelineing players like Vin Allen Lubin and Musa Sognya, testing their depth against Texas' sharp shooting. In the final moments, Texas' Treban Mark sank a clutch 15 footer with 1.1 seconds on the clock, and Williams' last heave got swatted.

1:03A way is time expired. Officials reviewed a key call early in the second half, flipping it to NC State Ball. This defeat ends NC State's surprising tournament push, but their grit underway sets a promising tone heading into next season.