ACC Basketball Tournament: NC State and Syracuse survive to quarters

ACC Basketball: NC State, Syracuse survive, Va Tech and Louisville cruise in 2nd round

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 13: Markell Johnson #11 of the NC State Wolfpack reacts after a play against the Clemson Tigers during their game in the second round of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 13, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images /

4. NC State beats Clemson once again

The NC State Wolfpack mounted a masterful comeback over the Clemson Tigers to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. After trailing 42-26 at halftime, the Wolfpack came storming back in the second half while holding Clemson to just 16 points on their way to a 59-58 victory.

Markell Johnson led the way for NC State with 23 points, 13 of them in the second half on 3-of-5 shooting from 3-point range, to secure the win. Clemson made just six field goals on 19.4 percent shooting in the second frame as they dropped a much-needed game for their tournament resume.

A loss puts the Tigers NCAA Tournament hopes in jeopardy but a victory propels the NC State Wolfpack ahead in the bubble conversation. Up next for them, the Virginia Cavaliers, a team they pushed to overtime back at home in Raleigh before losing 66-65.

After the way they played on Wednesday, the Wolfpack will need to play a whole lot better to get a Quadrant 1 victory and please the Selection Committee. They’ll need to get off to a better start in that one or a win could be out of the question.