By DAN GELSTON, AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Villanova went from a top seed to No. 1-and-done.
N.C. State is back in the Sweet 16, attacking one of the top teams in the nation for 40 minutes and stunning Villanova 71-68 on Saturday night. The Wolfpack went wild as the final horn sounded and danced around the court in celebration.
No, it wasn’t quite Jim Valvano’s mad dash after the Wolfpack won the 1983 national championship. But the Wolfpack (22-13) have designs on their own big March run. They will move on to Syracuse, New York to play the winner of the Louisville-Northern Iowa game.
N.C. State guards Cat Barber and Desmond Lee shared a long embrace after buzzer. Barber pounded his chest and said, “all heart!”
Lacey led them with 17 points and Barber had 13, each coming with big buckets to hold off a late Villanova charge.
The Wildcats saw a 16-game winning streak end and have not reached the second weekend since 2009.