The red and white did not disappoint the North Carolina State University faithful as they extended their magical run another weekend on Sunday night.
What You Need To Know
The men and women won their Elite Eight matchup, sending both teams to the Final Four
The last time the men played in the Final Four was 1983
Gus Gusler owns the Players’ Retreat, a revered N.C. State staple
Fans watched anxiously as the N.C. State women’s then men’s basketball teams sealed the deal for a trip to their respective Final Four.
Before the women’s team was victorious against Texas, Will Privette said it’s not a bad time to be rooting for the Wolfpack. “It’s something two weeks ago we would have never really believed was possible, really. This is a great time for athletics, for the university, having the women and the men in the Elite Eight,” Privette said.
The owner of the Players’ Retreat, Gus Gusler, said he couldn’t have dreamt of a bigger moment for the university. “I grew up here. I came from Burlington as a freshman. Other than moving around a little bit, I’ve been in Raleigh ever since, and I’ve been a diehard state fan since I was 6 years old,” Gusler said.
The enthusiasm was, by most standards, contagious, as the men carried their momentum from their previous wins into the matchup against Duke, a program known for late-season accolades.
But this time, the Blue Devils would not win out. Instead, the Wolfpack men won their ninth straight game for a trip to Phoenix, Arizona and a shot at the national championship. Immediately following the game, students, alumni and anyone who had enough energy ran to the Bell Tower to take part in the exciting post-game ritual. The Bell Tower was lit up in red, which is becoming customary after a big win.
The sight of fans storming the massive monument is something Gusler has waited to see for 41 years, the last time N.C. State made a run to the Final Four under Jimmy Valvano. Jimmy V’s boys won the 1983 NCAA championship on a similar magical run. Gusler said he has waited for a moment like this to happen ever since he bought the Players’ Retreat 18 years ago.
The owner, who is now in his 70s and graduated in the early 1970s from N.C. State, said this made every nickel spent on the bar worth it.
“After this, one of my friends was standing by me at the bar at the end of the game and says, ‘This made buying the bar worth it’. I said, ‘Hell yea.’ This made every penny I ever paid for the bar worth it. Every minute I stood in here working,” Gusler said.
The owner of the Players’ Retreat said he has asked the city of Raleigh for plans to shut down Oberlin Street to put a massive projector screen for all to see the Wolfpack in the Final Four.