NC State coach Kevin Keatts had a roller coaster ride for eight years, but it has come to an end Sunday.

Keatts went to three NCAA Tournaments at NC State, and maybe would have gone in 2019-20 if not for COVID. The Wolfpack also made it to the NIT twice after being on the bubble for the Big Dance.

Keatts was hired on March 17, 2017, after leading North Carolina-Wilmington to two NCAA Tournament appearances. The former Louisville assistant and Chatham (Va.) Hargrave Military Academy coach provided a jolt his first year in replacing coach Mark Gottfried. The Wolfpack went through a turnaround to go 21-12 overall and 11-7 in the ACC, raising expectations for what he could achieve.

Momentum was affected by the loss of center Omer Yurtseven, who transferred to Georgetown. Original staff members A.W. Hamilton (Eastern Kentucky) and Takayo Siddle (UNC-Wilmington) went on to become head coaches and that affected continuity.

NC State hit rock bottom twice since 2021, going 11-21 overall and 4-16 in the ACC in 2021-22, and then this year's 12-19 mark, and 5-15 in the league and not reaching the ACC Tournament.

In-between, the two lows, was the ultimate high in winning nine straight games to win the ACC Tournament and reach the Final Four.