Game day. ??? #ACCtourney pic.twitter.com/SxBzHuhvQj
— Shantel Jordan (@_ShantelJordan) March 8, 2016
State and Wake will do battle in Washington’s Verizon Center today at noon. This is the first time since 2006 that State and Wake will be playing in the ACC Tournament — Wake won the last match up in Greensboro after State beat Wake in the 2005 ACC Tournament in Washington, D.C. (81-65). Wasn’t that the game Chris Paul was suspended after punching Julius Hodge in the groin the previous week?
I’m a sucker for ‘little’ wins and looking at the long term historical records of programs, etc. So, since NC State has generally stunk this season, I am putting a little extra emphasis and hope on just one or two games in this year’s ACC Tournament.
Even as the Wolfpack basketball program has struggled to regain national relevance over the last 20 years, the ACC Tournament has been a place where NC State has performed well enough to not completely ruin our long term historical records. Even after 25 years of general struggles, NC State still owns a 70-52 all-time record in the ACC Tournament.
The Wolfpack is also 8-4 in the tourney against historical rival Wake Forest.
Mark Gottfried has started off well in the ACC Tournament, leading the Pack to Saturday appearances during 3 of his 4 seasons. Gottfried boasts a solid 7-4 record in the ACC Tournament as head coach at NC State.
State is 140-103 against Wake Forest, with this year’s loss in Winston-Salem being one of the more embarrassing losses in the two schools’ history. Wake only managed to win one other ACC game this season against winless Boston College.
So, although today’s game isn’t ‘huge’ or meaningful…it is the type of game that can have a nice little impact on extending one program’s long term standing over another program.
Eat a d#ck RT @accnow: NC State trophy case at PNC Arena. Been a while for the Pack. pic.twitter.com/dvLUva5sZa
— Jason Terrell (@AllStateAllTheT) March 8, 2016
