Whatever the reason, a football atmosphere dominated Tuesday night’s collision between the Green Wave and N.C. State in the first round of the NIT at the Entertainment and Sports Arena.

For most of the game, the teams pounded each other into oblivion, but the Wolfpack was still standing at the end, taking the victory, 64-60.

The win propels the 18-12 Pack into a second round game, tentatively set for next Wednesday against the New Mexico State-Arizona State winner.

First, the Pack must nurse its bruises and check for any broken bones inflicted by Tulane.

Justin Gainey, the Pack’s quarterback, should’ve set up the State offense each time downcourt by calling football signals.

Something like, “ 1 ...25 ... 40... 11 ... 21 ... set ... hut, hut.”

“1” as in Damien Wilkins, who scored 13 of his team’s 26 first-half points and led all scorers with 18.

“25” as in senior Tim Wells, who didn’t play on Senior Night a couple of weeks ago but saw 20 minutes of action Tuesday, sinking three 3-pointers, all at crucial times.

“40” as in Ron Kelley, who hit a turnaround jumper with the shot clock winding down to give the Pack a 59-56 lead with 2:23 left.

“11” as in Archie Miller, who was forced to shoot from 25 feet with the shot clock running out, drilling the 3-pointer for a 62-56 lead with under a minute left.

“21” as in Kenny Inge, who blocked a shot by 6-foot-10 Morris Jordan, setting up Miller’s bomb. Inge, as much as anyone, loved the brutish play. He was not going to back down from the muscular Green Wave players.

“We love having Kenny Inge,” smiled Wells. “If you’re not careful, you’ll go down in practice.”

Inge and Wilkins agreed that none of the State players had forgotten a 73-62 loss to Tulane back on Dec. 22. The Wolfpack didn’t handle the physical play, the main reason State suffered its first loss after opening the season with seven straight wins.

“If they were going to beat us this time, it was going to be because of the points they put on the board, not because they out-bullied us,” Wilkins said.

“The last time, they really beat us up,” Inge added. “They feed off that. But this time, we were ready mentally and physically. ”

And the Pack brought it full-throttle from the opening jump. Three minutes into the game, Wilkins pushed Dylan Osean, who was getting a bit rough with the State guards. His steely glare let Tulane and the 9,822 fans know there would be no backing down.

Inge, and even the 5-9 Miller, were in the faces of the Green Wave before it was over.

“We were scrappy, testy and fought tooth and nail,” said a pleased N.C. State coach Herb Sendek. “Tulane has strong, bruising, physical kids. If you can’t match that, you’re in trouble.”

The Pack intensity was questioned afterward when a reporter informed Sendek that some of his players were mumbling about not wanting to play in the NIT.

“I don’t buy that malarkey,” Sendek snapped. “Some of the best games are the shirts and skins that come to fisticuffs trying to win. Once you put on that uniform and represent your team, that’s enough. I don’t buy all that psychological hogwash about playing in the NIT.”

Wilkins proved that point early, taking it right at the Green Wave big men. Considering the Pack shot just 9-for-26 in the first half, his play was gargantuan. He helped State to a 26-25 halftime advantage.

Tulane led 40-38 when Kelley, Gainey, Inge and Cornelius Williams all contributed to an 8-0 run for State’s first six-point lead of the game. From that point on, the Pack seemed to be in control, if barely.

Tulane slowly chipped away, cutting the lead to 57-56. That’s when Kelley hit his jumper.

As far as Tulane coach Perry Clark was concerned, the biggest play of the second half for his team came next. Linton Johnson drove to the basket and bodies flew. One official called a block on State. The other overruled him, saying it was a charge, giving the ball back to the Pack.

Clark charged the court and vehemently protested the call.

“They’re never going to give you a good explanation, he shrugged. “It was a tough play for us. It had an effect.”

Miller then responded.

With the crowd screaming for a shot as the clock ran down, Wilkins slung a pass to Kelley at the foul line. He quickly spotted Miller alone and the ball hit nothing but net. It came with 51 seconds left.

“I knew I had to put it up,” said the soft-spoken Miller. “My legs were into it.”

The Pack allowed Tulane its chances in the final seconds, missing 5 of 7 free throws. But Kelley’s two with 1.7 seconds left sealed the victory and another round of the NIT.

“I know it’s tough playing in the ACC with everybody kinda going to the NCAA,” said Clark, a former assistant at Georgia Tech. “But Herb did a great job of getting his players ready to play.”

Inge just grinned.

“They brought aggressiveness,” he said. “We did too.”