In an era when the college game was putting on a Game of the Century just about every year orso North Carolina State and its star David Thompson squared off against UCLA in the 1974 NCAATournament Semifinal game that could certainly lay claim to that kind of distinction. The Wolfpackentered the contest with just one loss on its ledger and it had come at the hands of the Bruins earlier inthe year. That was the very same Bruins who had lost a total of five games over the last seven seasonslocking up a record seven straight NCAA titles in the process.

UCLA had Bill Walton and that incomprehensible legacy on its side; NC State had a few cards of its ownto play including the 7-4 Tom Burleson and the man who would ultimately be named the NCAA final FourMost Outstanding Player David Thompson. Despite Waltons 28 points and 18 rebounds Thompson &Co. prevailed in a double-overtime masterpiece 80-77 with Thompson scoring four crucial points in thefinal minute to seal the victory and send the Wolfpack into the Finals two days later against Marquette.

It seems churlish to call a 78-64 North Carolina State victory an anticlimax but following the heroicsagainst the legendary Bruins would have been a tough act in any case. This was the greatest moment inthe history of the schools basketball program capping a stretch that saw the club log 57 victories over atwo-year span against that one solitary loss to the Bruins. Seems it was neatly avenged.

This beautiful mint championship ring has been crafted by Stuckey & Speer. It is made out of 10k white gold and is a size 12.

LOA from David Thompson.