"I just felt like there was no way I was going to be denied."
Those are the words of Julius Hodge, who, with 4.3 seconds left on the clock and the game tied at 62, slashed past UConn's Rudy Gay, scored his bucket and drew the foul for a chance to make the free throw.
If you don't know the result by now, you mush have been accidentally keeping track of the National Invite Tournament.
Wolfpack wins, 65-62.
"I told you so," Hodge told the fans.
I was hardly shocked at this upset.
I'm sure you can all agree with me that when we saw Vermont downed Syracuse, your ears are probably still ringing with the groans of people realizing that their brackets have just taken a beating.
Perhaps you can agree with me that when we saw Bucknell send Kansas home, your ears are probably still ringing with the sounds of brackets printed on paper being torn to shreds as NCAA fans, collectively, said, "Screw it!"
Pittsburgh, Gonzaga, and Wake Forest are all bye-bye now and I don't believe we're done just yet.
So, instead of crying over my useless picks, I tried to brighten my mood by thinking of the underdog, who I would really like to see win it all.
As fun as it was to see Vermont and Bucknell pull off their respective stunners, it was quite unreasonable to think they would do anything else.
Michigan State and Wisconsin saw to that.
However, it is quite reasonable to believe that the least popular team in North Carolina, who are still alive and kicking, can shock the nation, just like they did in 1983, under coach Jim Valvano.
How can you not want this team to win it all?
I do admire N.C. State Coach Herb Sendek, who has to recruit against the likes of North Carolina, Duke and, to some degree, Wake Forest, but Sendek has his team in the regionals, while the Demon Deacons are the first of the North Carolina power houses to watch the rest of the NCAA tourney on the couch.
I won't bore you again with another recap of the 1983 NCAA Championship game, where N.C. State topped Houston with a last second dunk at the buzzer. I'm sure we've all seen it countless times on ESPN Classic.
I will, however, stress that the Wolfpack of today has fire. They are facing a very beatable Wisconsin team and will (likely) advance to the Elite Eight to (likely) play against the mighty North Carolina Tar Heels.
What impresses me most is that they want to play the Tar Heels.
Let's for a moment, pretend as if they beat North Carolina.
Who's next?
Do you think they'll care about having to play Duke, Michigan State, or Kentucky to get into the Finals?
I think not.
There is no backing down with this team.
So, now I will make a not-so-bold prediction that N.C. State will face Illinois in the championship game, wearing both of their Cinderella jumpers.
Please feel free to make comments, but before you do, just remember this.
The fact that I am predicting N.C State as a finalist isn't anywhere near as insane as having actually submitted a bracket with Bucknell ousting Kansas.
I'm sure the five people in the nation who actually did make that pick, are telling all their detractors, "I told you so."
Hmm ... sounds just like Julius Hodge.
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