Coming off back-to-back wins against a ranked Duke team and Virginia Tech on the road, NC State men’s basketball beat the No. 16 Miami Hurricanes in a revenge game after losing 80-73 on Dec. 10. The Wolfpack is red hot and on the brink of something special.

NC State (14-4, 4-3 ACC) came out aggressive and passionate, jumping on loose balls and putting pressure on Miami’s (14-3, 5-2 ACC) guards bringing the ball up the court. This mindset, combined with shots falling in the right moments, propelled the red-and-white to a nail-biting 83-81 overtime win.

The Wolfpack knew this game would be a battle against the Hurricanes and their star guard Isaiah Wong. He was able to keep his team in it until the final seconds, but Wong’s game-high 25 points weren’t enough to beat a solid team effort from NC State.

“There was a moment in the game where Isaiah Wong took the game over,” said head coach Kevin Keatts. “He had a stretch where we just couldn’t guard him. … This is one of those wins where you’ll look back and say it was a great win.”

Both the Hurricanes and the Wolfpack needed some time to get going, but the game opened up when sophomore guard Terquavion Smith began to attack the basket. Smith hit for the first time at the 16:42 mark of the first half after missing two 3-point shots. Smith and graduate guard Jarkel Joiner were able to generate offense for themselves after that in an effort to keep up with Miami through the first 20 minutes.

The Pack committed four turnovers in total compared to Miami’s 17. This was a trend the entire game with Miami having nine turnovers at halftime to NC State’s three.

While the defense was holding up in the first half, the offense was running like a well-oiled machine. This had a lot to do with the playstyle of graduate forward DJ Burns, who came off the bench and gave the Pack everything he had. His soft touch around the rim and outstanding passing ability make him seem like a point guard trapped in a WWE wrestler’s body, which proved to be a deadly combination.

“I don’t know that there’s another back to the basket guy in the country like him,” Keatts said. “He’s got a great touch around the basket, but he’s also a great passer.”

Burns flirted with a triple-double, recording a career-high seven assists while adding 13 points and nine rebounds.

NC State had a 10-point lead going into the second half but could never put the Hurricanes away. Miami came storming back time and time again, cutting what was a 10-point lead down to two with 12 minutes to play in the period.

NC State struggled mightily with 10 minutes left in regulation. There was a stretch where the team missed nine shots in a row, opening the window for Miami. The lid on the basket and a 12-20 day from the charity stripe in regulation made this feel like a game that the Wolfpack could have let slip through its fingers, but sophomore forward Ernest Ross wasn’t going to let that happen.

Ross had been having a good game but went from role player to superstar in the late minutes of regulation and overtime. He and Joiner were the best defensive players in this game, but Ross was fantastic on the offensive end as well, posting a career-high in points, rebounds and minutes. He poured in 17 points and nine rebounds, six of which were off the offensive glass. Ross’ ability to keep possessions alive is what won the Pack the game.

Ross scored five of the 10 points NC State hammered home in overtime. He also pulled down three crucial rebounds in the extra session to essentially seal the victory.

“It’s a blessing,” Ross said. “Everyday, my teammates push me to be better, so I come out prepared and ready for Coach Keatts to put me on the floor.”

Wolfpack stars like Smith, Joiner and Burns are shining bright, but role players like Ross are beginning to contribute in ways many didn’t see coming. This Wolfpack team looks like it can compete with the top-25 teams in the country, and will likely be ranked at some point this season if play continues to exceed expectations.

NC State will be on the road for its next two games against Georgia Tech on Jan. 17 and North Carolina on Jan. 21 before returning to PNC Arena on Jan. 24 to face Notre Dame.