Wolfpack Fans Elated After Major Win

RALEIGH, N.C. — From the RBC Center to Hillsborough Street, Wolfpack fans painted the town red Saturday night after their team scored a major upset over archrival North Carolina.

It's been a while since North Carolina State fans have had reason to run down Hillsborough Street in celebration, but that's exactly what happened when the Wolfpack pulled off an 83-79 upset of the No. 3-ranked Tar Heels.

"It was awesome,” student Connor Harris said. “It was huge to beat (fellow Atlantic Coast Conference rival) Virginia Tech in the last game, and to beat Carolina here. It's huge."

It's the first time State has beaten North Carolina since 2003, the last year that Matt Doherty served as the head coach for the Tar Heels. The team posted a 76.5 shooting percentage in the second half -- the highest for a Wolfpack team in 20 years.

"That's what N.C. State's all about -- beating our rival," student Kevin Hicks said.

"I've been here three and a half years,” said student Seneca Toms. “It's the first time time I've seen Carolina get beat."

The win was a major coup for head coach Sidney Lowe. North Carolina was the highest-ranked team a first-year Wolfpack coach has ever beaten. The last time a Wolfpack coach beat UNC in his first attempt was back in 1991, when Les Robinson was coaching.

On the street, it sounded like Wolfpack fans were ready to believe in Lowe.

“I'm glad (Lowe) got the win today against our rival," Hicks said.

"He knows how much it means to these players, how this is going to be talked about the whole year round,” student Greg Milton said about Lowe, who himself played on N.C. State's national championship team in 1983.

“He's really brought the pride back to the Pack. We're going to do really well from now on."

The heroics on the court were also a win for local bars.

"They need to keep on winning so that I can make more money,” said Sadlack’s bartender Lutie Ritzman