There have been many long-lasting memories in NC State Wolfpack athletics history, with the 1983 national title game in men's basketball forever carrying the torch as the brightest of them all.
The Wolfpacker decided to do a bracket to determine what was the best game of the 2000s at NC State. In a difficult narrowing-down process that was sure to leave out some of the best moments, 32 contests were chosen for the tournament and divided into four regions: Carter-Finley, PNC Arena, Doak Field and Reynolds Coliseum.
They were seeded one through eight in each region, and in the end we will have the ultimate game since the turn of the millennium.
Today we start the fourth and final region: Reynolds Coliseum.
No. 1 seed Pack women's basketball vs. Florida State in 2020 ACC title game against No. 8 seed football vs. Indiana in 2000
TheWolfpacker.com premium members can vote on this poll on the message board here.
1 seed — women's basketball vs. Florida State in 2020 ACC title game
The second-seeded NC State Wolfpack won three games in three days to win its first ACC Tournament Championship since 1991. Senior guard Aislinn “Ace” Konig was named the Tournament MVP as she scored more than 16 points in all three games.
With 2:26 remaining, Konig made the shot of the tournament when she sank a three-pointer to tie the game at 63. The Wolfpack would then take the lead for good, and NC State would prevail 71-66 in front of a partisan crowd at the Greensboro Coliseum.
8 seed — football vs. Indiana in 2000
In the second college game of his career as an 18-year-old freshman, Phillip Rivers threw for 401 yards and five touchdowns, including the game-winning 47-yarder to Koren Robinson with less than one minute remaining to give the Wolfpack the lead.
The Hoosiers had a field goal attempt inside 40 yards to tie the game with seven seconds to go, but Terrence Holt blocked the kick and time expired to secure the victory.
No. 4 seed baseball vs. Vanderbilt in 2012 NCAA Regional against No. 5 seed football vs. No. 15 East Carolina in 2008
TheWolfpacker.com premium members can vote on this poll on the message board here.
4 seed — baseball vs. Vanderbilt in College World Series regional in 2012
In a winner-take-all regional finale, the Wolfpack found itself down 7-3 to the Commodores entering the eight inning. Teran Senay hit a three-run homer in the top of the eighth to pull the Pack within one.
It was Senay again with the hot bat in the ninth when he singled with the bases loaded to score 2 runs putting the Pack up one. Trea Turner singled and drove in a run on the next at-bat to give the Wolfpack an extra run cushion heading into the final stretch.
NC State pitcher Ryan Wilkins retired three of the next four Vanderbilt batters to advance the Pack, 9-7 winners, to a Super Regional matchup vs Florida.
5 seed — football vs. No. 15 ECU in 2008
ECU entered the contest an undefeated, media darling as the hot mid-major team in the country. It left with its first loss of the year in an upset that was the breakout game for a future superstar.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Russell Wilson threw for 210 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-tying score to tight end George Bryan with just over a minute remaining in regulation.
In overtime, ECU quarterback Patrick Pinkney was strip-sacked for a fumble on first and 10 in the Wolfpack red zone that NC State recovered. The Pack won the game when running back Andre Brown ran in a six-yard touchdown.
——
• Talk about it inside The Wolves' Den
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolfpacker
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolfpacker
• Like us on Facebook
