Oakland's Dream Run Ends in Overtime Loss to N.C. State

The magic couldn't last forever for Oakland basketball. After a thrilling upset over Kentucky, the Golden Grizzlies' Cinderella story came to an end with a heartbreaking 79-73 overtime defeat to N.C. State in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Just 48 hours after becoming the early darlings of the tournament, the 14-seed Golden Grizzlies fell short against the 11-seed Wolfpack at PPG Paints Arena.

"It's a lot different than a couple nights ago," said a somber Oakland coach Greg Kampe after the game. "It's hard because it's over."

Despite a valiant effort from their star duo, Oakland couldn't overcome N.C. State's size and depth. Trey Townsend, the Horizon League Player of the Year, put on a show with a 30-point, 13-rebound performance. Jack Gohlke chipped in with 22 points, including six three-pointers.

However, N.C. State's DJ Burns proved to be too much to handle. The massive 6-foot-10, 275-pound center dominated the paint, recording a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds. He received ample support from his teammates, with four others reaching double figures in scoring: Michael O'Connell (12), Mohamed Diarra (11), DJ Horne (11), and Casey Morsell (11).

While their NCAA run is over, Oakland can hold their heads high. They captured the hearts of college basketball fans with their upset over Kentucky and put the Horizon League on the national stage.