Rob Broussard
UNOPrivateers.com

RALEIGH, N.C. – With 1.7 seconds left on Sunday, even the hardiest UNO fan had to be thinking, ‘Oh boy. This is not supposed to happen.’

After all, let’s be real: The past three years on the Lakefront has been Murphy’s Law.

There has been a well-documented natural disaster that crippled the Athletic Department’s budget. A quartet of UNO seniors are working with their third basketball coach, because the first two left for assistant positions at high major schools. The team is still a few months away from moving back into its normal home -- the UNO Lakefront Arena.

Yep, something was definitely going to go wrong. This was not supposed to happen. UNO was not going to beat No. 21 North Carolina State.

The Wolfpack, with banners representing national championships, ACC championships and retired jerseys of former greats like David Thompson, is primed for greatness again in 2007-08.

NCSU has two potential NBA lottery picks according to some.

The Privateers, said first-year head coach Joe Pasternack, had two guys hoping to win the lottery.

The Wolfpack did not have a starter under 6-4. The Privateers had one starter taller than 6-4.

NCSU does not have to think about money thanks to a budget running deep into eight figures. The Privateers have a budget of $3.7 million.

The Wolfpack had more than 13,000 fans in the stands. UNO did not draw half that at home all season last year.

NCSU has a palace for an arena, sharing it with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. UNO shares it current arena – the Human Performance Center – with a volleyball recreation league.

This was not supposed to happen.

It seemed like it wasn’t going to happen minutes into the second half. The Wolfpack finally seemed to put away the Privateers after UNO played NCSU to a two-point margin at halftime.

But NCSU went on an 11-2 run to start the second frame – claiming a double-digit advantage. Even UNO Director of Athletics Jim Miller had to be thinking, ‘It was a nice run. Let’s make sure the guarantee check clears.’

However, UNO just would not go away. The Privateers went on a 14-2 run of their own, and suddenly – for the first time all night – the 13,000 RBC Center natives were getting restless as UNO grabbed the lead with 9:33 to play.

NCSU’s Gavin Grant and company, which included talented freshman J.J. Hickson, regrouped. The Wolfpack continued to pound it inside and grabbed a seven-point lead with less than two minutes to play.

Finally, it seemed. The little engine that could finally slowed down. Even Pasternack, in the back of his mind, had to be preparing for the proverbial moral victory speech.

And then, the gods of fairness got involved. UNO chipped away here, taking advantage of an intentional foul that led to four points in 13 seconds, and cut the margin there – getting it to one with 44 seconds left.

Bo McCalebb, one of four seniors who have seen it all and then some at UNO, then got fouled with 14 seconds left. Even the most pessimistic UNO fan knew there was no way that kid was missing those free throws.

He didn’t, and UNO had a lead. NCSU’s Grant, though, let the see-saw ride continue with a layup that gave the Wolfpack the lead with seven seconds to go. Finally, the Privateers were done.

Until a tipped ball fell into the hands of T.J. Worley, a guy who spent 2006-07 paying his own way at UNO after transferring from Delaware State and sitting out the season.

Worley put up a desperation shot, admitting later that had he actually realized three Wolfpack players had hands everywhere around his face, he would passed it. And as the ball left his hands, Worley was only thinking about crashing the boards.

As the ball sailed long, Murphy’s Law finally got revoked. It banked home, sending UNO’s bench into delirium.

Worley tipped away the long-range inbounds pass, and UNO – finally – could celebrate a 65-63 victory.

This was not supposed to happen. But it did. And why?

“It’s basketball,” Pasternack said.

Ah yes, it’s sports. It wasn’t supposed to happen. But it did.