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NC State Both Teams Make The Final Four With Homegrown Players

Author Jeff Gorra

What an incredibly exciting team for Wolfpack fans. Both the NC State men’s and women’s basketball teams have made the NCAA Final Four. Next weekend, all eyes will be on these games in Phoenix and Cleveland.

Though the storylines to this point have been centered around star players like DJ Burns Jr. both of these incredible Wolfpack teams have rosters that are filled with players from North Carolina.

On the women’s side, #3 ranked NC State has knocked off some strong competition. Namely, defeating Tennessee, and Stanford (who was ranked #2).

For the men, as an 11 seed, they have played more of an underdog story that now is stealing the heart of the country. They handily beat Duke and Marquette. At the beginning of the tournament, it was Oakland University that was getting all the Cinderella story attention. NC State knocked off Oakland.

As we eagerly await the upcoming Final Four games, let’s take a look at the players on both teams who hail from North Carolina.

NC State Women’s Team – Players From North Carolina

  • #4 guard, Alyssa Lewis is from Harrisburg. She attends Hickory Ridge High School
  • #22 guard, Saniya Rivers is from Wilmington. She attended Eugene Ashley High School

NC State Men’s Team – Players From North Carolina

  • #0 guard, DJ Horne is from Raleigh. He attended Trinity Christian High School
  • #3 guard, MJ Rice is from Henderson. He attended Prolific Prep High School
  • #10 guard, Breon Pass is from Reidsville. He attended Reidsville High School
  • #13 guard, KJ Keatts is from Cary. He attended Grace Christian School
  • #20 guard, Alex Nunnally is from Cary. He attended Cary Academy
  • #22 guard, Jordan Snell is from Cary. He attended Panther Creek High School

X-Factor Storylines

The last time NC State men’s basketball made the Final Four was 1983. It’s well-known what happened during that legendary run. The Jim Valvano coached #6 seed Wolfpack upset #1 Houston which had Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. It was arguably one of the best championship games (and upsets) in NCAA history.

The women’s program last made the Final Four in 1998. They lost to Louisiana Tech who went on to lose the championship to Tennessee.

So here we are. The women’s team will now go up against the #1 seed (and undefeated) South Carolina team on Friday, April 5. It will certainly be a tough battle, but now, being the underdog can be a great spot for the Wolfpack.

Then on Saturday, April 6, the men’s NC State team will play another #1 seed in Purdue. This matchup serves to a great battle of big men with DJ Burns Jr. and Zach Edey taking center stage.

3 Potential NFL Draft Destinations For UNC's Drake Maye

On Wednesday, December 27, North Carolina will play their last game of the season in Charlotte (Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. West Virginia). With Drake Maye being one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL draft, it’s time to take a look at three potential landing destinations for the star quarterback.

UNC is coming off a 8-4 record this season. Although his statistics were not as high as last year, Maye still had an incredible year, throwing for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns. At just 21 years old, Maye is the ideal size for a NFL quarterback, standing 6 foot 4.

2024 Draft Class

Many of the top players have still to officially declare for the draft. Yet, the expectation is that all the names we are seeing atop the mock draft boards will be moving up to the next level. There have been eyes on this year’s class for a few years now. That’s largely due to the generational quarterback pool.

USC’s Caleb Williams is a safe assumption to be the first overall pick. That’s where things can get tricky. The Carolina Panthers currently have the worst record at 1-11. However, due to last year’s trade, the Chicago Bears own their pick. Do the Bears need or want a QB? They just drafted Justin Fields. Of course, we still have the NFL combine, player pro days, and team meetings ahead of us. Much can change in that time. Still, I believe Maye will be the next quarterback taken after Williams.

To further emphasize how deep (and potentially special)  this class is, three of the four Heisman Trophy finalists this season are quarterbacks. None of them are named Caleb Williams or Drake Maye (Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr.)

Come April, we can see as many as 10 NFL teams in need of a new quarterback.  Here are three NFL teams that have a good probability of selecting in the top five picks of the NFL draft, where Drake Maye will likely be taken.

  • New England Patriots

    Mac Jones may be handing his #10 jersey to another #10. With Jones expecting to be gone in New England, the Patriots will be one of the many teams interested in Maye. Their record also indicates they will have a top pick. What makes this equally intriguing is the fact that Maye could come into the Patriots at the same time as a new coach.

     

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  • New York Giants

    This would be a fantastic landing spot for Maye. Daniel Jones is out for year with his knee injury. The Giants could once again use a fresh start. Maye has many of the characteristics of a tough traditional Meadowlands quarterback, much like Phil Simms or Eli Manning. Maye has the demeanor, confidence, and intangible attributes to be the new face of this franchise.

     

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  • Minnesota Vikings

    Here’s the wildcard of the bunch, and perhaps a stretch. Why? Because the Vikings will have to trade and move up to have a realistic chance at Maye. Crowd-favorite Kirk Cousins tore his achillies and doesn’t have the long-term contract to fall back on. Furthermore, head couch Kevin O’Connell was a NFL quarterback himself. A young guy coming and developing under his tutelage would be a welcomed change that sets up Maye with support and success. It also doesn’t hurt when you a guy like Justin Jefferson in house to throw the ball to.

     

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Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.

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