Kevin Keatts on if this year is his best coaching job: 'You would have to ask somebody else'
NC State punched its ticket to the Final Four for the first time in 41 years after downing Duke 76-64 in the Elite Eight last weekend. No team has been hotter over the past three weeks than the Wolfpack — who weren’t even sure they’d be in the NCAA Tournament before winning the ACC Tournament.
Head coach Kevin Keatts has been to the Final Four before as an assistant at Louisville, but has never been a part of a run like this. Ahead of Saturday’s matchup against Purdue, the NC State headman explained where this team ranks among his best all time.
However, he wouldn’t admit whether or not this is his best coaching job. Only time will tell.
“I’ve had some really good teams. For us, I would say something about all of my teams are really special,” Keatts said. “These guys are so special. What is it, nine now? Nine elimination games or you go home.
“They’re tremendous. You ought to see us every day. They make it easy for me to wake up every morning and come to practice and work hard with them because of who they are as personalities. I would say this, I have learned more basketball from these guys than I learned in my entire career because they know how to work. They’re great people. They work hard. It’s hard to say if it’s my best. You would have to ask somebody else, but I’m sure having a lot of fun with this group.”
The group Keatts has assembled for this improbable March Madness run features some of the most unique stories in college basketball.
Starring DJ Burns, whose body type is closer to a left tackle than a basketball player (although, he’d probably tell you he’s a tight end), a former high school All-American in lacrosse like Michael O’Connell. And then Mohamed Diarra, who has spent the tournament fasting in observation of Ramadan. They, alongside their teammates, have come together to win nine straight games since the postseason began.
Now, they’re two wins away from becoming national champions.
Tip-off between the Wolfpack and Boilermakers will be the first of two Final Four games on Saturday evening. Scheduled for 6:09 p.m. ET, the game will air live on TBS and will see Purdue enter game day as heavy favorites. NC State is an 8.5-point underdog as of Wednesday afternoon.