NC State adds to its reputation for late-game heartbreak
Squander an 18-point first-half lead in startlingly quick fashion? Check. Give away a four-point lead in the final minute of regulation? Check. Have a potential game-saving shot in the final seconds of overtime go halfway down but come back out? Check.
NC State's 81-78 loss to eighth-ranked Notre Dame featured almost every punch to the gut a heartbreaking NC State loss should include. About the only thing that was missing Sunday night was a Karl Hess cameo, but you can be sure the polarizing former ACC referee was cackling in front of a TV somewhere.
The Wolfpack appeared to have their second signature win of the month sewn up with a four-point lead and possession of the ball with less than a minute to go in regulation, but they let it slip away in a hail of costly turnovers and defensive breakdowns.
Cody Martin missed a jumper with 38 seconds to go. Demetrius Jackson cut Notre Dame's deficit in half with a layup 16 seconds later. Then things began to unravel for NC State when Trevor Lacey tried an ill-advised three-quarters-court inbound pass that resulted in a turnover.
Notre Dame got a pair of second-chance opportunities on its ensuing possession and made NC State pay as V.J. Beachem tied the game with a put-back after Jerian Grant and Pat Connaughton had both missed. The Wolfpack generously gifted the Irish with another turnover and a chance to somehow steal a win in regulation, but Grant's half-court buzzer beater clanged hard off the rim.
Overtime ended with Notre Dame celebrating an improbable win because Lacey couldn't quite atone for his turnover from the end of regulation. His first attempt at a game-tying 3-pointer was blocked by Grant and his second looked like it was down for a split second only to pop back out.
NC State's loss could easily be one the Wolfpack lament in March given their recent history of spending Selection Sunday sweating it out on the bubble. They've slipped into the NCAA tournament as a No. 11 seed, a No. 8 seed and a No. 12 seed each of the past three seasons despite amassing double-digit losses each season.
This season seems to be following a similar path given NC State's 13-8 overall record, its 4-4 mark in ACC play and its mix of good wins (Duke) and ugly losses (Wofford). There are more chances for marquee wins ahead with home games against Virginia and Syracuse and road games at Louisville and North Carolina left to play, but certainly beating the Irish would have been a significant win for the Wolfpack.
Notre Dame (19-2, 7-1) should have known Sunday's game was going to be problematic given NC State's history this season. The Wolfpack had neither won nor lost two in a row since early December and they entered Sunday's game coming off a loss at Miami.
The pattern nearly held true again Sunday until NC State added to its reputation for giving away games it seemingly has won.
Now the Irish can look ahead to a showdown with fellow ACC title contender Duke on Wednesday night and the Wolfpack can focus on bouncing back against Clemson that same night and building momentum for a desperately needed strong finish to the season.
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
