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 is the final two games of the first round of the Carter-Finley Region. The first two games can be seen here.
Next will be the first two games of the PNC Arena Region.
No. 3 seed wrestling vs. No. 8 UNC in 2020 against No. 6 seed baseball vs. Miami in 2015 ACC Baseball Tournament
TheWolfpacker.com premium members can vote on this poll on the message board here.
3 seed wrestling vs. No. 8 UNC in 2020
Sophomore heavyweight Deonte Wilson scored a 5-2 decision in the final bout that gave NC State the 19-14 win over rival UNC in a top-10 matchup in Reynolds Coliseum. The two rivals were meeting in a top-10 showdown for the first time in school history, and the winner was to be determined by that concluding bout.
Wilson's match came down to the last seconds. Up 3-2, he was able to fight off a late takedown attempt and reverse it into two points with about 10 seconds remaining.
The Wolfpack advanced to 13-0 on the season with the victory, its seventh straight over UNC, in front of a record-setting, frenzied 4,383 fans.
6 seed ACC Tournament vs. No. 8 Miami 2015 (Baseball)
Sophomore first baseman Preston Palmeiro scored the walk-off run in the bottom of the 12th inning with the little league home run. His deep fly ball hit high off the wall of the blue monster at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. A good throw probably would have had Palmeiro at second, but instead it went wide and into the Miami dugout.
Palmeiro went for it, and once again he probably should have been out at home. Instead, the Miami catcher could not cleanly fielded the throw and Palmeiro slide was safe. NC State won 5-4.
The victory clinched NC State a spot in the ACC Championship game where it eventually lost to Florida State 6-2.
No. 2 seed 2015 NCAA Tournament second round vs. Villanova against No. 7 seed football vs. UNC in 2007
TheWolfpacker.com premium members can vote on this poll on the message board here.
2 seed NCAA second round vs. Villanova 2015 (Basketball)
Following NC State’s buzzer-beater in the first round of the tournament, the Wolfpack surprised everyone when it beat No. 1 seed Villanova, 71-68 in Pittsburgh, to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Junior guard Trevor Lacey scored 17 points, six rebounds and four assists, and NC State was able to survive a furious Wildcats late push.
The crying Villanova band piccolo player after the game would become a signature moment for March Madness.
7 seed vs. UNC 2007 (Football)
The Wolfpack defense pulled off a goal line stand as it shut down four consecutive Carolina plays inside the 10-yard line in the final seconds of the game to win 31-27 and snap what had been a three-game losing streak to the Heels.
Sophomore Jamelle Eugene had 159 rushing yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner with 1:41 left, but senior cornerback Jimmie Sutton's pass breakup on the game's final play while covering one of the best receivers in the country in UNC's Hakeem Nicks clinched the win.
——
• 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
- WR
- WR
- RB
- TE
- C
- CB
- RB
- DE
- OG
- PRO
