With the addition of Thompson, Towe, and Stoddard to the starting lineup in 1972–73, the team rebounded quickly from its recent struggles. David Thompson, known as "Skywalker" for his 44-inch vertical leap, impressed in his 1972 debut as a sophomore. In what was a 130–53 rout of Appalachian State, Thompson scored 33 points and collected 13 rebounds. On January 14, 1973 NC State played in the first nationally televised Super Bowl Sunday college basketball matchup. The third-ranked Wolfpack defeated second-ranked Maryland in College Park, 87–85. The two teams met again two months later in the ACC Tournament championship game. State won another narrow victory over the Terrapins, 76–74, to finish the season at a perfect 27–0. However, due to NCAA sanctions resulting from violations during Thompson's recruiting, the team was barred from postseason participation.