It was a contest between the high-flying No. 1 Houston's Phi Slamma Jamma duo of Akeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler and No. 6-ranked NC State, a team which had lost 10 games during the season. The Cougars were fleet and acrobatic, and roared into the finals on the heels of a 26-game winning streak. NC State coach Jim Valvano tried to slow the game down, and his team - which succeeded with patient ball movement and a tenacious defense - managed to lead 33-25 at the half.

     But Houston came on strong in the second half, quickly wiping out the Wolfpack's lead.  Olajuwon got on a roll, and led his team to a 52-46 lead. With his troops tired from their relentless assault, and momentum now in their favor, Cougar coach Guy Lewis went to a spread offense to work the clock. The tactic backfired: the Wolfpack guards Sidney Lowe and Dereck Whittenburg made some key steals and hit clutch shots from the outside to keep it close.

     The game went down to the wire, and though the Wolfpack trailed by four with 3:09 left, Whittenburg hit back-to-back jumpers to tie the game with 1:59 left.

     With seconds remaining, Wolfpack coach Jim Valvano called a time out. He set up a play for a spread offense to work for the game's final shot. In one of the most exciting finishes ever, Lorenzo Charles slammed Whittenburg's 35-foot airball through the hoop at the buzzer to complete NC State's storybook season.  

     Houston's Akeem Olajuwon racked up 20 points, 18 rebounds and seven blocks after a 21, 22, 8 semifinal, but the Cougars were just 10-for-19 from the line. Clyde Drexler picked up his fourth foul with 2:47 left in the first half and finished with just four points in 25 minutes.

     Earlier in the tournament, in the first round, sixth-seeded N.C. State had trailed 11th seed Pepperdine by six with 24 seconds left in OT, but rallied to win 69-67 in double OT.