Photos: Take an inside look at NC State men’s and women’s teams before the Final Four
By Ethan Hyman and
Kaitlin McKeown
N.C. State’s men’s and women’s basketball teams are making history by playing in the NCAA Tournaments’ Final Four in the same year.
News & Observer photojournalist Ethan Hyman is in Phoenix with the men’s team while Kaitlin McKeown is documenting the action in Cleveland.
The No. 3-seeded women play first with a game against No. 1 South Carolina Friday at 7 p.m.
The No. 11 men play Saturday against No. 1 Purdue at 6:09 p.m.
Go behind the scenes with Hyman and McKeown as they prepare for their games.
Drew Murphy, center, son of strength and conditioning coach Pat Murphy, along with N.C. State’s Kam Woods (2) and KJ Keatts (13) hang out during an availability in the N.C. State locker room at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Wolfpack will face Purdue in the Final Four on Saturday. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Kam Woods (2), Ben Middlebrooks (34), Ernest Ross (24) and Jordan Snell (22) watch a video during an availability in the N.C. State locker room at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Wolfpack will face Purdue in the Final Four on Saturday. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s DJ Horne, left, DJ Burns Jr. and assistant coach Levi Watkins walk past a Purdue poster as they head to the Wolfpack locker room before an availability at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Wolfpack will face Purdue in the Final Four on Saturday. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s DJ Burns Jr. talks to the media during an availability in the N.C. State locker room at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Wolfpack will face Purdue in the Final Four on Saturday. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s DJ Burns Jr. is surrounded by the media during an availability in the N.C. State locker room at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Wolfpack will face Purdue in the Final Four on Saturday. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s DJ Horne waits to be interviewed by Westwood One at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Wolfpack will face Purdue in the Final Four on Saturday. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers smile while answering a question about head coach Wes Moore’s singing abilities during a press conference at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Wolfpack will face South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Mimi Collins answers questions from media in the locker room at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Wolfpack will face South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State head coach Wes Moore smiles as Aziaha James answers a question during a press conference at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Wolfpack will face South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Laci Steele and Lizzy Williamson laugh while answering questions from media in the locker room at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Wolfpack will face South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Maddie Cox smiles while answering questions from media in the locker room at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Wolfpack will face South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Maddie Cox runs a drill during practice at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Wolfpack will face South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Aziaha James puts up a shot during practice at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Wolfpack will face South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Saniya Rivers puts up a shot during practice at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Wolfpack will face South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State head coach Wes Moore gives instructions during practice at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Wolfpack will face South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Iowa’s Caitlin Clark puts up a shot during practice at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Hawkeyes will face UConn in the Final Four on Friday. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
