RALEIGH, NC — It’s one of the most lasting images from the NCAA basketball tournament.

A buzzer-beating two-handed dunk by muscular forward Lorenzo Charles gives heavy underdog North Carolina State a stunning national championship game win in 1983 versus powerhouse Houston — known as Phi Slamma Jamma. Wolfpack coach Jim Valvano spills onto the court, scrambling for someone to hug.

Charles, 47, the hero from that memorable game, was killed Monday when an empty bus he was driving for Elite Coach crashed along Interstate 40 in Raleigh, said general manager Brad Jackson.

Charles grabbed Dereck Whittenburg’s 30-foot shot and dunked it to give the Wolfpack the 54-52 win over the Cougars, led by stars Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon. It was N.C. State’s second national title and gave Charles a place in school history.

Whittenburg was despondent when discussing his teammate and friend. “It’s just an awful day,” Whittenburg said. “An awful, awful day.”