Without a doubt, NC State men’s basketball is writing one of college basketball’s greatest stories this postseason. No ACC team had ever won five games in five days in the conference tournament until NC State did. And the Pack wasn’t satisfied with just one championship — it ripped off four straight victories to win the South Regional championship and reach the Final Four as a No. 11 seed. So, how does this historic team stack up with past NCAA Tournament Cinderellas?

One of the most memorable Cinderella teams from previous seasons is NC State’s own 1983 national championship team. Like this season’s edition of the Wolfpack, the 1983 squad entered the ACC Tournament with 17 wins and no sure chance of making the NCAA Tournament. 

The red-and-white went on to win the 1983 ACC Tournament, with wins over Wake Forest, North Carolina and Virginia. From there, the Pack embarked on a wild journey through the tournament, capped by a stunning upset over Houston. The Cougars were a juggernaut led by center Hakeem Olajuwon. Against all odds, the Wolfpack slayed the giant and defeated Houston on a last-second bucket from forward Lorenzo Charles. 

In 1985, as a No. 8 seed, Villanova became the lowest-seeded team to ever win a national championship. Villanova had its own monster standing in between it and a national championship: the Georgetown Hoyas. Like Houston in 1983, Georgetown had a hall of fame center in Patrick Ewing. While Ewing was a future NBA Star and All-American, he was outplayed by the Wildcats’ center Ed Pinckney. 

The ‘80s had one more Cinderella champion — the 1988 Kansas Jayhawks. This group is often remembered as the national champion with 11 losses, the most by a team that has won it all. The Jayhawks charged through the NCAA Tournament until they ran into top-seeded Oklahoma, with the Sooners’ star-studded cast led by center Stacey King. While Oklahoma had taken both regular season matchups, the Jayhawks won a nail-biter in the National Championship. 

More recently, the UConn Huskies won it all in 2011 as underdogs. The Huskies closed the regular season cold, losing four of their final five games. But just like this season’s Wolfpack squad, the Huskies won five games in five days to clinch their conference’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament. Once in the Big Dance, UConn faced a favorable path to the championship. 

For NC State to join these Cinderellas as national champions, it’ll have to shock the world again. The Wolfpack is slated to play Purdue in the Final Four. The Boilermakers are the top seed in the Midwest Regional and feature 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey. Purdue’s star big man is the reigning national college player of the year, a first-team All-American and the all-time rebounding leader for the Boilermakers. 

If the Pack defeats the giant that is Edey’s Purdue squad on its way to the championship game, it’ll be rewarded with a matchup against either UConn or Alabama. Between the two, UConn is the more likely opponent and would certainly qualify as a monster. The Huskies are the defending National Champions and are on an 11-game winning streak. A win over the Huskies would send shockwaves across the country, stunning fans nationally the same way NC State’s win over Houston did in 1983. 

There are many similarities with previous Cinderellas and this year’s Wolfpack squad. To finish the job, NC State will have to do what past underdogs have done and bring down the giant. However, in a way, the Wolfpack’s path to the championship would be more impressive than past champions. It has faced elimination for nine straight games, defeated a No. 1 seed in the ACC championship and likely would have to defeat two more top seeds. With two more wins, NC State would cement its legacy as the most impressive Cinderella in NCAA history.