The North Carolina State Wolfpack are the darlings of college basketball this March. After an impressive 5 wins in 5 days culminating in an ACC Championship. The Wolfpack are now the lowest remaining seed in the tournament. And NC State head coach Kevin Keatts has made millions this March thanks to the unforeseen run.
Not only had Kevin Keatts made millions this March, but he will have a job next season and the season after that. Or at least he will be paid to do the job. He has a clause in his contract that he automatically receives a 2-year extension with an ACC Tournament championship.
Keatts entered the post-season very much on the hot-seat with The News & Observer reporting before the tournament that NC State AD Boo Corrigan was considering taking the program in a different direction. Instead, Kevin Keatts has made millions this March. Here is the break down.
The Wolfpack's improbable run goes against the history of this program under Kevin Keatts.
Actually it goes against their history since Jimmy Valvano and NC State's Cinderella run in 1983. The pack are in the Sweet 16 for the 1st time in 9 seasons. Then head coach Mark Gottfried had NC State on a 4-year run of making it to the tournament.
Kevin Keatts has make millions this March thanks to his teams run. They look to continue their Cinderella run on Friday night in the Sweet 16 against 2-seed Marquette. It will be quite the step up in competition for the Wolfpack. Texas Tech and Oakland are solid to good teams. But Marquette with a mostly healthy Tyler Kolek is a clear step up in competition.
A potential rematch with Duke could be on the horizon for NC State. The 4-seed in the region has 1-seed Houston in the other Sweet 16 matchup in the South Region. That would be a huge opportunity for Kevin Keatts to cash in yet again. The Wolfpack knocked the Blue Devils out of the ACC Tournament at the beginning of this run.
It's a tall order. But Kevin Keatts has made millions in March thanks to how his team is playing right now. He will look to rude the momentum for another week. And at this point who should doubt them.
