NC State's DJ Burns overcame hurdles, carried Pack to Final Four in win vs. Duke

DALLAS — By the time DJ Burns reached the top of the blue and yellow ladder on the hardwood at American Airlines Center to cut the net down, he took a deep breath.  That pause was all that was needed to encapsulate the path Burns took to carry NC State past Duke 76-64 in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, punching the Pack’s ticket to its first Final Four since 1983, on Sunday afternoon.  Burns, a former Winthrop transfer, has dealt with a lot in his basketball journey. His weight, which he has worked to manage over the years, has been a main topic. He gets railed for his 6-foot-9, 275-pound frame by opposing teams’ fans, but it was the thing that helped get him to this moment: a chance to play for a Final Four.  NC State coach Kevin Keatts and his staff laid out a plan for Burns at a point this season, knowing they would need him to play at his best if the Wolfpack wanted to have a chance to even sniff the NCAA Tournament. Well, he accomplished that ten-fold.