Pack Hits Road for March Madness

Even if you didn’t fill out your bracket to win Warren Buffett’s billion dollars, there’s still plenty to go crazy about during March Madness. That’s because for the first time since 2006, both the NC State men’s and women’s basketball teams are in the NCAA’s field of 64 this postseason.

And eight teams, including ACC champion Virginia and runner-up Duke, are playing second and third round games at PNC Arena, as NC State hosts action in the NCAA men’s tournament for just the second time since the building opened in 1999. The last time the men’s event was at the home of the Wolfpack men was in 2008.

The men, of course, were invited to their third consecutive NCAA Tournament under third-year coach Mark Gottfried, but needed to win Tuesday night against Xavier in Dayton to advance to the full tournament bracket.

One of the final at-large teams chosen for the field of 68, the Wolfpack handled the Muskateers with relative ease, 74-59, as ACC Player of the Year T.J. Warren, a sophomore forward, scored 16 of his game-high 25 points in the second half to lead his team. Junior teammate Raulston Turner added 17 points.

The Pack (22-12) left on the next plane out of Ohio for Orlando, where it will be the No. 12 seed in the Midwest Region, facing No. 5 Saint Louis on Thursday at approximately 7:20 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Wolfpack women, under the guidance of first-year coach Wes Moore, are a No. 5 seed in the NCAA women’s tournament. They will face No. 12 seed Brigham Young on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

Led by three-time Academic All-American Kody Burke and an experienced lineup, Moore’s team has posted a 25-7 overall record and is ranked No. 16 in the most recent media and coaches polls.

For full coverage of both teams in the postseason check out the official site of NC State athletics throughout the tournament.