I was intrigued by this:
" It marks the first time since Dec. 2, 1967 (a 79-63 win at Wake Forest) that NC State has opened its season with a game that counts in the regular season ACC standings."

That was Norm Sloan's 2nd season. I wonder if we started the season so late that year because of the probation associated with the Dixie Classic game fixing fiasco. Paging Tim Peeler...I remember reading an article years ago about how Bill Friday really imposed cuts in the basketball programs at UNC and here after all that went down. Wonder if delaying start of season to December in 1967 was part of that?
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.