DJ Horne on this run with NC State: 'It meant everything'
DJ Horne returned home for his senior season and helped to make it one of the most memorable in NC State history. The Raleigh native helped lead the Wolfpack to their fourth Final Four in program history and first in more than four decades, where they ultimately fell to Purdue.
It was an odds-defying run as NC State wasn’t even a lock to make the NCAA Tournament when the ACC Tournament began. However, the Wolfpack reeled off five straight wins, including upsets against in-state rivals and blue bloods Duke and North Carolina, to win the conference championship and earn an automatic bid.
NC State entered March Madness as a No. 11 seed but continue to roll to several more upsets. After taking out No. 2 seed Marquette in the Sweet Sixteen, the Wolfpack ran into a rematch with Duke in the Elite Eight. They won 76-64 in part because of 20 points from Horne.
Although the run came to an end the next game, Horne still realizes how lucky he was to experience the season he did.
“It meant everything,” he said. “To come home for, for Coach Keatts to give me this opportunity to go out there and make all my memories with my brothers the way we do. I don’t think we could have drew it up any better. If we won the whole thing, it would have been a story.
“I’m grateful for this experience. Not everybody gets to say they went to the Final Four. NC State did.”
Horne began his college career at Illinois State before transferring to Arizona State ahead of the 2021-22 season. He averaged 12.5 points, 32. rebounds and 2.2 assists across his two-year career with the Sun Devils.
This past season at NC State he put up 16.9 points per game along with 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He was named to the All-ACC Tournament team for his performance, which included a 29-point effort in the ACC title game against North Carolina.
Although Horne’s time at NC State is now over with, he isn’t going to forget this season any time soon. Likewise, the Wolfpack fans are certainly grateful for what he helped accomplish this year.