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With 12:54 left on the clock and the Hokies down 18, sophomore guard Hank Thorns attempted to save a long rebound from going out of bounds that would have been Tech's ball had he let it go.
That one turnover symbolized the inexplicable performances put on by the Hokies when facing State the previous six times.
For the seventh game in a row, the Wolfpack played incredibly sound basketball, dominating the Hokies in the first half.
The fact that State transforms in preparation for the Hokies is not lost on senior guard A.D. Vassallo.
"I don't know what is it about NC State, honestly, that they give us their best and for some reason they don't seem to miss shots, and they seem to make every single play," Vassallo said.
In the first half, State shot 58.6 percent from the field, made 13 of 17 free throws and tallied its highest single-half point total (49) of the season.
After the mishap by Thorns, he got a steal, attempted a breakaway lay-up and was fouled from behind by senior guard Courtney Fells. The referees would deem it intentional and grant Tech two free throws and possession.
With Fells' foul, the Wolfpack "curse" was lifted.
Thorns left the game because of an injury but, in the next 27 seconds, Tech scored eight points on two converted free throws by Dorenzo Hudson, a three by Hudson on the extra possession and a transition three by Malcolm Delaney after a Jeff Allen steal.
"I told them, I said, 'We're going to make these two free throws, we're going to score a basket and we're going to get a stop,'" said Tech head coach Seth Greenberg. "That's exactly what I told them in that timeout. We can turn this thing right now. Sometimes, at least, you've just got to paint a picture."
"Just looking at the scoreboard," Vassallo said, "it was time for us to make a run."
The crowd came alive, the Hokies finally made an appearance, and State soon found its reign over Tech men's basketball brought to an end.
After turning the ball over only five times in the first half, the Wolfpack's shaky guard play finally caught up with them in the second half when they coughed the ball up to the Hokies 17 times.
Tech made those turnovers into 21 second-half points, charging back from an 18-point deficit to eventually win in overtime.
Even when down 18, sophomore guard Malcolm Delaney was confident in his team.
"I knew we weren't going to lose the game. I got confidence, and I never think we're going to lose until the clock goes out," Delaney said. "I knew what type of team we had and how we were playing. All we had to do was play good, and we would come back."
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