Wolfpack look to start ACC Tournament on the right foot
Posted March 11, 2024 4:08 p.m. EDT
Updated March 12, 2024 9:05 a.m. EDT
 Louisville Cardinals |
85 |
 North Carolina State Wolfpack |
94 |
| Final | |
On Tuesday, the N.C. State Wolfpack will take on the Louisville Cardinals in the opening round of the ACC Tournament in Washington, D.C.
The Wolfpack skidded into the tournament, losing its final four games of the regular season, including losses to the Duke Blue Devils, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and the Pitt Panthers.
The Cardinals, however, are hoping to play spoilsport in the tournament. The Cardinals finished dead last in the conference, with a 3-17 conference record and an 8-23 record overall.
While the season did not go as planned for the Wolfpack head coach, Kevin Keatts, he will look to continue his success against the Cardinals. The Wolfpack defeated the Cardinals in January, 89-83, giving Keatts a winning record against the Cardinals.
Graduate transfer and Wolfpack guard DJ Horne led the way for the Wolfpack against Louisville in January with 27 points. Horne is climbing the ranks in his ability to shoot from deep. Horne needs eight three-pointers to pass Scott Wood for fourth place for most three-pointers made in one season.
With a conference-leading 42.9% from beyond the arc, the Raleigh native could pass Wood if the Wolfpack have a deep conference tournament run.
Casey Morsell expects to continue his consecutive starts streak. Morsell currently sits at 78 games, giving him the most consecutive starts for a Keatts-coached team. If Morsell starts every game for the rest of the year, should the Wolfpack channel the memories of the 1983 Cardiac Pack and go on a deep postseason run, he will have the seventh-most consecutive starts in program history.
The Wolfpack also hopes the change of scenery for the tournament will help its chances of being selected for the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.
This is the third time the conference tournament will be played in the nation's capital. In 2016, the Wolfpack made it to the tournament's second round and in 2005, the Wolfpack upset 2nd-seeded Wake Forest before falling to Duke in the semifinal round.
The game tips off at 4:30 p.m.
