NC State guard DJ Horne received a public reprimand from the ACC on Wednesday after making an obscene gesture in the waning moments of the Wolfpack's 83-76 win over Wake Forest on Tuesday. The reprimand followed a league review of the game and "is based on Horne's involvement in an unsportsmanlike and inappropriate gesture at the end of the game," according to a league statement.
Horne, who led NC State in scoring with 21 points, appeared to elevate both of his middle fingers as he prepared to shoot free throws with 2.2 seconds remaining. He made both shots, and footage of his gesture quickly made the rounds on social media as the Wolfpack improved to 13-4 (5-1 ACC)
"My sincere apologies for what happened at the end of the game," Horne later posted on X. "I got caught up in the heat of the moment and made a disrespectful gesture that I should have never done. That's not who I am!"
The gesture came at the end of a tightly contested game between ACC foes. Earlier in the game Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts was ejected and three players received technical fouls.
Wake Forest led 60-49 midway through the second half before NC State mounted a furious rally for its sixth win in the last seven games. Horne's contributions included a go-ahead jumper with 5:07 remaining and another key basket at the 1:50 mark that put NC State up 73-69.
