Led by a strong effort from redshirt senior Josh Owens and one of the best games of freshman guard Chasson Randle’s young career, the men’s basketball team rallied from a double-digit deficit late in the second half and knocked off N.C. State on Sunday in one of the Cardinal’s best preseason wins in years.

After losing a lead of its own against No. 3 Syracuse in the championship game of last week’s NIT Season Tip-Off, Stanford (8-1) was in deep trouble at home against the Wolfpack (5-3). N.C. State’s C.J. Williams had 18 points, and his blocked shot opened a 12-4 run in the second half that put the Card in a 47-35 hole.

But from there, Johnny Dawkins’ team responded with the kind of effort that has many analysts rethinking Stanford’s preseason No. 6 ranking in the Pac-12, spurred on by a remarkable night at the charity stripe.

Sophomore Anthony Brown hit a three-pointer and added a dunk to cut into the Wolfpack’s lead, and Owens chipped in with four free throws that gave the Cardinal its first lead of the game with three minutes remaining.

Owens went back to the line and extended Stanford’s lead before Randle hit four free throws as a desperate N.C. State fouled to try and extend the game.

Stanford finished 29-34 from the line, including a 19-21 effort in the second half, to offset a tough shooting night from the field. Although Owens went 6-10 on a collection of layups and short lay-ins and sophomore Aaron Bright chipped in 15 points on 5-8 shooting, the rest of the team combined to shoot 25 percent for the game.

But the Cardinal will have plenty of time to work on its shooting touch, as the team doesn’t hit the court again until the end of a two-week break for finals.

With eight wins and only three non-conference games left before Pac-12 begins with a pair of home matchups against UCLA and USC the last weekend of December, Stanford has a real chance to make a run for its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008.

And Dawkins, for one, was excited about the strides his team has made from last year’s 15-16 record.

“For our guys, in both halves we got knocked back, and it says a lot about this group, how they responded,” Dawkins said. “They had a lot of will to win at the end, they made the plays when necessary, and I was very proud of that. You never know until you’re in that situation how your guys are going to respond, and seeing them down double-digits and then respond makes you proud.”

Stanford will square off against San Diego from Maples Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 17 at 5 p.m.