GREENSBORO -- If there wasn't enough pressure on N.C. State to salvage something from an otherwise forgettable season by making some kind of a run in the ACC tournament, the Wolfpack's in-state rivals piled some on Thursday.
First, Wake Forest checked out - mentally and physically - with a blowout loss to last-place Miami. Then North Carolina blew a 10-point halftime lead, falling to .500 with a loss to Derrick Favors and Georgia Tech.
By the time the Wolfpack took the court late Thursday night in the final game of the first day of the tournament, N.C. State was playing for more than pride. It was playing for the honor of the host state, safely secured with a 59-57 win over Clemson.
"It definitely feels good, just because we lost to those teams before," freshman forward Richard Howell said. "And it feels even better that North Carolina's out because we lost to them twice. Coming out and getting a win at the ACC tournament is a big step for us."
It wasn't easy, not with Javier Gonzalez missing much of the first half after twisting an ankle and Howell leaving for treatment after a hard foul by Trevor Booker.
Nor did Clemson go quietly, narrowing the gap to just a possession in the final minute, but the Wolfpack is moving on, when the Demon Deacons and Tar Heels could not.
Tracy Smith delivered as expected, with 19 points, but it was the less-anticipated contribution from Howell that made a big difference. He had 11 rebounds, one short of his career high, and nine points while helping Smith defend Booker. Scott Wood and Farnold Degand hit big shots as well.
With those pieces falling into place, N.C. State may be playing its best basketball of the season. Not bad timing, all things considered.
"I think we can get better," Gonzalez said, his right ankle hidden under a bag of ice. "We had a few turnovers that we shouldn't have had. We can keep getting better."
Building on the momentum down the stretch, the Wolfpack posted its fourth win in the past five games and moved on to face Florida State tonight.
And a good thing, too: Duke was going to feel awfully lonely in Greensboro Coliseum this weekend if all three of the state's other teams exited Thursday.
The ACC went through the trouble of bringing the tournament back to Greensboro for the first time since 2006, and two of the teams that usually soak up the most tickets from first-day losers created a glut instead. (For sale: ACC tournament ticket books. Retail $396. Make an offer. Interesting trades considered.)
State's win will help put bodies in the stands after a Thursday that saw some sparseness in that department. More than anything, the mild upset of Clemson helped restore some pride to the Old North State, with North Carolina's struggles reaching historic proportions and Wake Forest making its annual early exit under Dino Gaudio.
An N.C. State loss would have left the Blue Devils as the sole banner-carrier of local pride. It'll be a better day today with N.C. State sticking around as well, because the Coliseum was never louder on Thursday than when State ran its lead to eight in the final two minutes.
"To get a win like this is huge for us," Wolfpack forward Dennis Horner said. "Our fans might like that we're still playing when North Carolina's out and Wake's out, but to us, they don't matter right now."
Left for dead a month ago, suddenly the Wolfpack is making a little noise.
