"WHAT A FREAKING UPSET" - College hoops world reacts to NC State's unexpected win over UNC to clinch ACC Tournament title

Fans reacted as No. 10 NC State won the ACC Championship 2024 by stunning the no.1 North Carolina Tar Heels 84-76 on Saturday at the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.

It's the first tournament win of the Wolfpack since 1987. NC State entered the final with confidence, winning four straight gaames. It shocked Virginia in the semifinal but faced a much tougher opponent in the finals, as the top-ranked UNC was on an eight-game winning streak.

DJ Horne was the top scorer in the game with 29 points, four rebounds and one assist in his 31-minute play. DJ Burns Jr. added 20 points, four rebounds and seven assists, while Mohammed Diarra chipped in 11 points and 14 rebounds.

RJ Davis was the top scorer for UNC with 30 points, six rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes. Armando Bacot added 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan chipped in with 10 and eight points respectively.

Fans showered praises and expressed surprise over the title victory of the Wolfpack. One tweeted:

"WHAT A FREAKING UPSET"

Others, too, expressed similar emotions:

"America’s team this March!"

"What a Run!!"

"Legendary tournament run"

"The Cardiac Pack is Back"

"These guys are real champs. Wolfpack"

One referenced Wolfpack's 1987 win:

"Still in shock, tbh. I was too young to remember 1983 but I still have two T-shirts."

One poked fun at NC State's coach, while another had an altogether different perspective:

"The only bad thing about this win is Keatts keeps his job another year"

"We all owe Keatts a massive apology."

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How NC State bounced back from the pre-tournament setbacks

Wolfpack had four straight losses entering the tournament. Also, the team had lost seven times in its last nine games.

NC State locked horns with top-seeded teams and earned victories. They beat No. 1 UNC after they secured victories over No. 2 Duke and No. 3 Virginia. NC State coach Kevin Keatts described how special the victory was for the team:

"These guys will have memories for the rest of their lives."

DJ Horne expressed similar emotions:

"Like I said from the jump, why not us. Just a week ago it was looking like our season was about to be over, and here we are now, man, on top of the world."

As NC State entered the NCAA tournament for the second straight season, fans will want them to continue displaying the same magic in March Madness.