After an improbable run in the ACC Tournament that launched them into the Big Dance, NC State was given an #11 seed and dubbed the darlings of the NCAA Tournament.
That only lasted a day, because despite an impressive win over #6 Texas Tech, it was #14 Oakland whose upset of #3 Kentucky has given them the crown of tournament darling.
Now two of America’s favorite teams in the dance will meet in what should prove to be an interesting matchup. Let me explain…
NC State has almost exclusively faced man defense all season long. With JJim Boeheim retired, and Syracuse no longer running out their extended 2-3 zone, the ACC is almost all man defense, all the time.