New Orleans stuns N.C. State on late 3

T.J. Worley banked in a 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left and New Orleans became the latest mid-major to spring an upset by beating No. 21 North Carolina State 65-63 on Sunday night.

In a wild finish that had three lead changes in the final 15 seconds, New Orleans erased a late seven-point deficit by scoring eight straight points in the final 1:48, taking a 62-61 lead with 14.9 seconds left on two free throws by Bo McCalebb.

Gavin Grant hit a layup over Jaroslav Tyrna to put N.C. State up 63-62 with 8.3 seconds left, and the Privateers frantically inbounded it to McCalebb, who lost control of the ball. Worley picked it up and heaved a 3-pointer over three defenders from about 25 feet that kissed off the glass.

Worley then broke up Brandon Costner's desperation pass to freshman J.J. Hickson as time expired and the Privateers celebrated a victory over the coach who recruited many of them to New Orleans.

McCalebb, the Sun Belt player of the year, scored 20 points on 5-for-19 shooting in his first game against ex-coach Monte Towe, the former N.C. State point guard who coached the Privateers from 2002-06 before leaving to join Sidney Lowe's staff.

Kyndall Dykes scored 13 points, Tyrna had 12 and Worley finished with 10 for New Orleans (2-0), which got its first big victory for Joe Pasternack, its 30-year-old first-year coach. The Privateers beat an Atlantic Coast Conference team for the first time since upsetting Virginia in 1991.

Hickson had 22 points and 13 rebounds, and Grant finished with 20 points for N.C. State (1-1), which is likely to drop from the national rankings.

New Orleans, playing its first nationally ranked opponent since 2003, beat one for the first time since upending then-No. 21 George Washington 63-60 in 1993.

The Privateers were never intimidated by their ACC surroundings, holding the Wolfpack scoreless on 0-for-6 shooting for a 7-minute stretch in the first half, reeling off 12 straight points and twice leading by four.

They overcame an 11-point deficit in the second half by outscoring the Wolfpack 14-2 and taking a 44-43 lead with 9:34 to play on Shaun Reynolds' shot in the lane.