March Madness

Gerry Broome - AP

The last time the North Carolina State Wolfpack was in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament was in 2006 defeating the University of California in the first round then losing to the University of Texas in the next round. The long drought is finally over with the 2011 team making the NCAA tournament as a No. 11 seed in the Midwest region and will face No. 6 seed San Diego State University (26-7) on Friday at 12:40 in Columbus Ohio. The Wolfpack finished the season with a 22-12 record in coach Mark Gottfried’s first season as head coach, who was also last in the tournament in 2006 as head coach at the University of Alabama. The Pack was rewarded with a tournament berth for playing a tough schedule and for winning two games in the ACC tournament. The San Diego State Aztecs are lead by head coach Steve Fisher who was named Mountain West Coach of the Year, and sophomore guard/forward Jamaal Franklin was named Mountain West Player of the Year. Coach Fisher won a National Title in 1989 at The University of Michigan and he coached the famed Fab Five at Michigan during the 90’s.