Wake Forest

GameNight: Baylor vs Wake Forest (76 Classic Final)

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 12:10:35 -0500

Start: Nov 30 2008 - 10:30pm

Preview & Prediction: By Evan Dorey

-- Evan Dorey's game previews & rankings are based on Elo Ratings. Elo Ratings are fairly simple, all teams are assigned an initial number of points, which is the same for all teams, eliminating preseason bias. Then, as the season progresses, when a team wins it gains points, and when it loses it drops points. The amount of points that are gained or lost depend on the level of the opponent (beating a cupcake gets you little, beating #1 will be a big increase), the scoring margin of the game (which is capped), and the game’s location. To take a look at Evan's College Basketball Elo Ratings, visit his website or blog where he discusses the rankings along with other statistical observations about big games and interesting teams.

The 76 Classic from Anaheim has hosted a number of interesting games over the week, and the final looks like it will not disappoint, as it features #13 Baylor (6-0) and #15 Wake Forest (5-0).

Baylor resisted a strong late charge from Arizona St and James Harden to make the final, which was their first top quality win, as they’ve played a relatively weak schedule so far. Wake Forest also has not had a serious test yet, but just survived a semifinal game against UTEP to advance.

Baylor has been an excellent offensive team, but defense has been Wake’s strength, so a good battle should ensue. It surprised me that that the Bears are among the nation’s best two-point shooters, but this is strongly affected by Quincy Acy’s 92.3% two-point shooting so far this season. The Bears shoot mostly from the outside, but when they do go inside, they have some good scoring options, allowing them to present a very strong multiple threat to most teams. They don’t go to the offensive glass much, and aren’t great free throw shooters, but give the ball up very little and get to the line quite often. Wake’s defense is strongest in the interior, which may allow Baylor to shoot over it with their skilled guards. They have done everything well, but nothing spectacularly to date, though they are able to get a lot of blocks.

When Wake has the ball, it will go inside, as they are one of the most heavily two-point dependent offenses in the nation. It’s important for the Deacons to shoot well inside, since when they have taken threes, they have not shot them well. Considering their offensive advantage inside, they don’t get many of their own misses, and they tend to struggle with turnovers somewhat, not unsurprising from a young team. Baylor’s defense looks good statistically, pretty even across most categories. This makes me a little suspicious of a weak opponents effect, especially since Arizona St. managed to torch the Bears’ D pretty badly in the semifinals. Still, their glaring weaknesses from last season, fouling and not forcing turnovers, are as of yet not evident this season.

Baylor have been led, so far, in the backcourt, with senior Curtis Jerrells taking the bulk of the work. He is a good ball mover and a very solid shooter, precisely what a coach would want from a point guard. He also is a steady hand with the ball, generally committing few turnovers, though he has had a couple of nightmare turnover games so far this season. The rest of the backcourt load is shared by prolific but not particularly effective shooter LaceDarius Dunn, along with a couple of other decent shooters in Henry Dugat and Tweety Carter. Inside, Quincy Acy has put up absurd numbers, averaging 10 points and 5 boards, along with nearly 3 fouls in less than 20 minutes per game. In addition, he is leading the nation in field goal percentage with the crazy number mentioned above.

Much of the talk about Wake Forest has been about freshman Al-Farouq Aminu, and while the young big man has been part of a great three man interior unit that have powered the Deacons’ offense, the leading scorer and most important player so far has been guard Jeff Teague. Teague was an average shooter last season, but in the early part of this season he has greatly increased both the size of his role and the effectiveness he has in that role. He’s shot 55% from the field, and one of the big keys is that he has been more selective from three, shooting a larger percentage of twos than last season, but making a lot more of the threes he does take. While I expect Teague will cool off, right now he’s leading the ACC in scoring, and needs to be closely marked. The three inside guys, Aminu, Chas McFarland and James Johnson are all shooting around 60% from the field, and averaging double-digit points with high single-digit rebounds. Baylor haven’t faced a team loaded with good big men, and it may cause some serious defensive problems when the Bears have three guards on the floor.

I’m really uncertain about a prediction for this game, but Baylor’s impressive offensive showing against Arizona St., combined with their strong veteran backcourt presence, makes me think that they can exploit the younger Wake team on the defensive end. While I don’t think Baylor will be too effective at stopping the Deacons from scoring, Wake has enough offensive weaknesses to give the Bears a very slight edge.

Winner: Baylor Margin: 2-6

ACC Basketball: 5 Things We've Learned So Far

Ed Lupien — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:00:17 -0500

The first two weeks of the college basketball season are incredibly important for any team regardless of the size of the program or the team's preseason expectations. For teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference, almost every opponent faced thus far is one that is expected to be defeated. While there is not a lot that can be derived from a handful of performances, here are some early impressions of the ACC that are expected to remain true for the entire season.

Gani Lawal has arrived for Georgia Tech

Most knew that the sophomore forward Lawal had the potential to breakout but few, if any, could've predicted he would average 22.5 points and 10.5 rebounds a game. Ha, ok, it's early. The Yellow Jackets only have two games under the belt after two weeks into the season but Lawal sure looks like a primetime player. There's a lot of grey areas on the team and while starting senior and perimeter shooter Lewis Clinch is academically ineligible for the forseeable future and starting point guard and team leader Maurice Miller is currently shooting 30 percent from the floor, Lawal, along with junior Zack Peacock, appear to have given Georgia Tech at least some peace of mind down low.

Sylven Landesburg will shine for a bleak Virginia team

If you followed Virginia's performance against Radford last week you found the preseason proclamations that the Cavs are the worst team in the ACC to be true. In a game in which they shot 37 percent, UVA trailed the Highlanders at halftime and through much of the second half only to squeak by the visiting team in the final seconds of the game. Don't try to play the it's-only-one-game card either because the Cavaliers barely defeated a South Florida team that is picked to finish in the cellar of the Big East by two points two nights before their debacle with the Highlanders. In other words, it's going to be a long season. Freshman guard Sylven Landesburg, however, is one of the very few bright spots on the team and appears to be the future of the program. Kudos goes to the Cavaliers who were able to bring in a guy who has the potential to produce Sean Singletary-type numbers. Once more, Landesburg has already proven that he does not need any time to adapt to the college game and has already made himself a legitimate scoring threat as he is currently leading the conference by averaging close to 24 points a game.

Wake Forest's freshmen are for real

Forward Al-Farouq Aminu was selected as the preseason choice as the conference's Rookie of the Year and has not disappointed in the least thus far. Aminu leads the Demon Deacons and is second in the conference with 11 rebounds averaged per game. As expected, he is a threat to score as well, averaging 16 points per game and shooting just over 60 percent from the field. Center Tony Woods is the other Deacon freshman that has taken to the college basketball court like a duck to water, averaging 11.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in this young season. A third freshman, center Ty Walker was almost as highly touted as Aminu and Woods were coming into the program, but has seen a more limited role thus far this season. The Deacons who also have another proven big man in Chas McFarland and are expected to assimilate Walker a bit slower than their other two freshmen.

Biggest surprise of the season thus far - Clemson

Most knew the Tigers were going to be good this season but these cats are looking like one of the top three or four teams in the conference right now. A hard fought win against a Dionte Christmas-led Temple Owls team that is picked by many to finish atop the Atlantic 10 combined with three double-digit margin statement wins over mediocre teams show that this is a team that has enough in the tank to win the close ones against formidable opponents and eliminate any hope for a comeback from teams they should beat handedly. What makes their hot start even more impressive is that the Tigers have not lost a step despite the departures of forward James Mays and guard Cliff Hammonds, two starters that accounted for over twenty points per game last season. Even though senior swingman K.C. Rivers has yet to find his shot beyond the arc this season, the Tigers are, as expected, still first in the conference in three point shooting percentage thanks to sophomore guard Terrence Oglesby and freshman guard Andre Young who has emerged as yet another threat. Down low, the Tigers sport junior forward Trevor Booker and unheralded senior forward Raymond Sykes who are both among the conference leaders in rebounds, averaging 10.6 and 6.0 respectively this season.

Biggest disappointment of the season thus far - Virginia Tech

The Hokies could very easily be 1-4 right now. Tech started off its season with two hard-fought wins against Gardner-Webb and Mount St. Mary's and shot less than 40 percent from the field in both contests. The Bulldogs and the Mountaineers each outscored the Hokies in select halves of their games and came within five points of upsetting a team that is widely picked to be a lock for the NCAA tournament. The Hokies looked good early in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off and finally seemed to play up to their preseason expectations as they easily defeated an above-average Fairfield team in the opening round. Tech, however, could not hold up that same intensity in their next two tournament contests. The issue with the Hokies in these two games was a familiar and reoccurring one that plagued the team for much of last season -- they could not finish. In their second round contest with Atlantic 10 favorite Xavier, the Hokies led the Musketeers by seven points with five minutes to go in the second half only to lose the lead in regulation and the game in overtime in the most exciting finish in the sport's young season. Poor and sluggish defense, in particular, was the one of the main reasons for the collapse. The Hokies followed that performance with a similar one in the consolation game of the tournament against Seton Hall as they held a lead with eight and a half minutes left in the game. This team will quickly need to figure out how to play for 40 minutes instead of 30-35 if they want to be dancing in March.

College Football: Saturday Touchdowns

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 01:34:55 -0500

Heading into this Saturday it seemed like the Notre Dame Fighting Irish were well on their way to a seventh victory and a berth in either the Gator or Sun Bowl. All they had to do was beat Syracuse, playing for a recently dismissed head coach in Greg Robinson and dead last in the Big East. But while the Orange haven't played particularly well this season, you can't accuse this team of quitting. What ensued was one of the more stunning results of the day, with Syracuse stunning the Irish 24-23 on a late touchdown pass. Where do the Irish go from here? USC is the finale next week, and a loss there puts them at 6-6 and in a very tough situation. A 6-6 team can't be taken ahead of a team with a 7-5 record or better, so they could be in a very undesirable locale...if they accept a bid in that case. Beat USC and it doesn't matter, but they'll have a tough task in front of they in the Coliseum.

Here are the seven key points for this Saturday. And congrats to Florida State safety Myron Rolle for being named a Rhodes Scholar today. It's much better to hear this news when it comes to Florida State than hearing about receivers being suspended for getting into a lunchroom brawl.

1. Boy was I wrong about that Texas Tech/Oklahoma game.

Going into this one, it surprised me how quickly people were jumping off the Texas Tech bandwagon for their showdown in Norman with the Sooners, so much so that I actually picked the Red Raiders to win. Let's say it all together: fool. What ensued was one of the worst beatings of the season when you take into consideration the quality of the two teams, with the Sooners running away 65-21 in a game that was essentially over when Tech failed to convert a 4th-and-6 just past midfield with about twelve minutes left...in the second quarter. The Sooner offense did what it pleased, putting up more than 600 yards of offense in a brutally effiecient fashion (326 passing, 299 rushing). But that defense needs some credit as well, limiting the nation's best passing offense to 406 yards of total offense (45 on the ground) and 1-for-13 on third downs. That's not going to get it done if your on the road in a game of this magnitude.

Now the question is this: do the Sooners move ahead of Texas in the BCS standings when they're unveiled tomorrow afternoon? That depends on what pollsters and the computers value: the head-to-head meeting (which Texas won) or who's playing better football right now (Oklahoma would win that argument given what they did tonight). To push OU ahead of Texas would be, in some way, blaming the Longhorns for playing that game in early October and that wouldn't be fair at all. We shall see what happens, and what makes it all the more important is that in the case of a three-way tie the team ranked highest in the BCS is the one that goes to the Big 12 Championship Game.

2. Utah completes their undefeated season. Now they have to wait for two weeks.

The Utes got the job done against bitter rival BYU, picking off Max Hall five times in the 48-24 beating. Now 12-0, Kyle Whittingham's team is pretty much assured of a BCS at-large slot and they've earned it. QB Brian Johnson had an outstanding game in his final appearance in Rice-Eccles Stadium, going 30-36 for 303 yards and four touchdowns along with twenty-eight yards on the ground. But it was the Utah defense that made the difference in this one, forcing six turnovers and holding the Cougars to 4-12 on third down. The two-week wait should be little more than a coronation of what they've accomplished, but you never know with this system.

3. Cincinnati holds on to put a virtual chokehold on the Big East race.

Pittsburgh made this game close in the fourth quarter, scoring fourteen unanswered points to reach the 28-21 final. But this was the product of a dominant defensive showing by the Bearcats (264 total yards allowed and seven sacks) and QB Tony Pike's play in leading the Bearcat offense (26-32, 309 yards and three touchdowns). Now Brian Kelly's team is one win, over Syracuse next weekend, from clinching the Big East and heading most likely to the FedEx Orange Bowl (hence fans showering the field with oranges). But Syracuse won't be thought of as a pushover in that locker room, especially with what the Orange accomplished in South Bend. To think about where this program was in their final seasons in Conference USA (the New Orleans Bowl to the BCS? Almost like the Notorious B.I.G.'s quote about going from "ashy to classy") makes their rise all the more spectacular.

But there an unfortunate consequence of Cincinnati's success: Coach Kelly's name could be thrown around in regards to high-profile job openings in the month between the end of the regular season and their bowl game. But that's all for another day for Cincinnati, who should celebrate their recent success (their first-ever win over Pitt).

4. The dream lives in Corvallis, Oregon.

There were two plays that could have led Oregon State fans to believe that their first trip to Pasadena in more than forty years wasn't meant to be: James Rodgers dropping a deep ball that would have been the game-tying touchdown, then kicker Justin Kahut hooking a potentially game-tying extra point to leave the Beavers down 17-16 with four minutes remaining. But a pair of unlikely heroes stepped up in the 19-17 comeback victory: backup quarterback Sean Canfield and wide receiver Sammie Stroughter. With both players possessing a wealth of experience the word "unlikely" is a stretch, but given the amount of attention heaped upon the Rodgers brothers (Jacquizz was lost to injury and wasn't available) they've been forgotten by some.

It was this combination that picked up the slack for James Rodgers on that touchdown drive, and once again on the gamewinning charge with a deep ball to put Kahut in position to keep their Rose Bowl hopes alive. Kahut did just that, hitting the kick as time expired. Every week people look for the wheels to fall off and the dream to die. But the Beavers continue to win games, with guys stepping up on a weekly basis. Maybe they are a team of destiny. Oregon will look to change that in the "Civil War" next weekend.

5. We finally have some frontrunners in the ACC. I think.

It's all cut and dry for these two teams: Boston College (Atlantic) and Virginia Tech (Coastal) win next week and they'll meet in Tampa on December 6th. The only other teams with a shot are Florida State and Georgia Tech, who need those two to lose in order to get in. Boston College, who lost starting QB Chris Crane to a broken collarbone in their come-from-behind 24-21 win at Wake Forest. The Eagles did a good job in keeping both teams in the game, with miscues setting up all 21 Demon Deacon points before winning the game in the end. Dominique Davis led the gamewinning drive for BC, but the credit for this win should go to their defense for holding Wake to under 200 yards of total offense. Other than taking advantage of the Eagle mistakes, Wake Forest did nothing on offense.

As for the Hokies, they didn't look pretty against Duke but they won the game and that's what's most important. Nine combined turnovers made this game an eyesore, but Virginia Tech did manage to rush for 187 yards on the night. Duke's longest passing play: a 23-yard pick-six by Virginia Tech's Macho Harris. The Blue Devils finished the game with twenty yards in the air and 136 yards total offense. Next weekend, the Eagles host Maryland (37-3 loser to FSU tonight) while the Hokies host rival Virginia (13-3 loser to Clemson).

6. Washington State picks up their first Pac-10 win of the season while rival Washington remains winless.

Missed field goals are what did in the Huskies in this one, with a missed 40-yarder keeping the Cougars within three in the fourth quarter and a missed chip shot in the second overtime setting the stage for Wazzu's victory. For as hard as they've played this season, Washington has found ways to lose football games and this one has to hurt considering how dominant they'd been in the trenches on both sides of the football. But give credit to Washington State, which hung around and found a way to win the Apple Cup in the end. The Huskies have one more shot at getting that elusive victory with a trip to Cal next week, but how much do they really have left in the tank? They'll be decided underdogs in Berkeley, but this much is known: they will compete. There are other teams in similar situations (tough year, coaching change, etc.) who have mailed it in but neither UDub or Wazzu has done that, And you have to give those kids and their coaches some credit (instead of pointing and laughing at their misfortune) for that even though it hasn't panned out in the form of wins.

7. Penn State headed back to the Rose Bowl. And Michigan has a lot of work to do this offseason.

The Nittany Lions were dominant from start to finish in their 49-18 victory over Michgan State, picking up the 800th win in school history at the same time. Darryl Clark, who has been criticized by some for his uneven play of late, threw for 341 yards and four touchdowns without a turnover in the beating, and that defense held Javon Ringer to 42 yards on the ground. The Spartans needed QB Brian Hoyer to attempt around twenty-five passes or so to have a shot in this one, meaning that Ringer was having a productive day running the football. Hoyer threw forty passes, and he was even replaced by backup Kirk Cousins late. Penn State is a talented football team on both sides of the football, but also an example of what one bad quarter (4th quarter at Iowa) can do to your national title dreams if you're not careful.

As for the Wolverines, there really isn't much to analyze in their 42-7 pasting at the hands of Ohio State, They hung in there for a half, going into the locker room down just 14-7. But things got out of hand quickly, with Dan Herron breaking a 49-yard touchdown run less than four minutes into the second half. From there Michigan had to try their luck through the air, and Nick Sheridan isn't ready to make plays in the passing game. It got ugly, and with nine losses and an embarassing defeat to the hated Buckeyes this is an extremely important offseason for Rich Rodriguez and his staff. Regardless of the system used, that was not Michigan Football, and their fanbase will not accept anything less than marked improvement next year.

Offensive Performance of the Day: West Virginia QB Pat White. White ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns on twenty-one carrier along with 6-11 for 122 yards and two touchdowns through the air in the Mountaineers' 35-21 win at Louisville. White is now the all-time NCAA leader in rushing yards by a quarterback, passing Missouri's Brad Smith. And he also is the Big East's all-time leader in total touchdowns, passing Syracuse's Donovan McNabb.

Wake Forest Signs CJ Harris and Ari Stewart

Press Release — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:09:10 -0500

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest head coach Dino Gaudio announced today that two prospective student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Wake Forest beginning in the fall of 2009.

Guard C.J. Harris (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and forward Ari Stewart (Marietta, Ga.) signed their official commitments on Wednesday to join the Demon Deacon basketball family next season.

Harris is a local product out of Winston-Salem's Mount Tabor High School. The 6-2, 175-pound combo guard is yet another in a long line of talented Winston-Salem area natives to sign with the Deacons. Harris joins Josh Howard, Chris Paul and current Deacon L.D. Williams as recent local products who stayed close to home to play their collegiate basketball.

Harris is currently a senior at Mount Tabor, playing under coach Andy Muse, the brother of Deacon assistant Mike Muse. Last season, Harris was named to the North Carolina 4A All-State team after leading the Spartans to the state quarterfinals and a Central Piedmont Conference championship as a junior.

Harris averaged 19.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 4.5 steals per game to lead Mount Tabor to a 26-4 record and a No. 7 state ranking last season.

Harris is rated by ESPN as the No. 16 point guard in the class of 2009. Rivals lists Harris as the No. 25 point guard in the class, while Scout has him as the No. 26 shooting guard.

"C.J. Harris has a chance to be a terrific player for us," said Gaudio. "He comes from a great basketball program; Andy Muse is one of the top high school coaches in the country. C.J. will come in incredibly well-prepared for the rigors of college basketball. He's a combo guard that can help us at both the one and the two, and he's a hard-playing kid who defends. We're really excited about having him in the program. C.J. has a chance to come in and be an impact freshman for us."

Stewart is a 6-7, 190-pound forward out of Wheeler High School in Marietta, Ga. Playing under coach Doug Lipscomb, Stewart helped Wheeler to the Georgia 5A state championship game in 2007-08 before falling to Norcross and current Deacon Al-Farouq Aminu.

Led by Stewart and NC State commitment Richard Howell, Wheeler enters this season as a heavy favorite to win the state championship. The Wildcats are ranked No. 3 in the nation and No. 1 in the Southeast Region according to PrepNation. ESPN currently ranks Wheeler as the No. 7 prep team in the country.

Last season, Stewart averaged 16 points and eight rebounds per game to help the Wildcats finish 30-3 and earn a No. 21 national ranking.

Stewart is rated by Rivals as the No. 53 overall prospect and the No. 11 small forward in the class of 2009. Scout has Stewart as the No. 12 small forward and No. 61 overall prospect, while ESPN lists Stewart as the No. 13 small forward.

"Ari Stewart can come in and be an impact player his first year for us," said Gaudio. "He's a big guard who can not only shoot the ball but rebound. He is also a terrific on the ball defender with his size and is an excellent rebounder. He comes from one of the top programs in the country in Wheeler High School. Doug Lipscomb has done a marvelous job with that program for years. Ari Stewart will be an added dimension that we haven't had at Wake Forest since Josh Howard."

College Basketball: Best Frontcourts

Ed Lupien — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:33:06 -0500

A solid frontcourt is a must-have component of a national championship team. Good rebounding gives a team second and third chances to score on offense and eliminates those chances on defense. Shot blocking can take the wind out of the opponents sail. Versatility is a must as is the ability to the run the floor. Scoring inside the paint adds another dimension when the shooters go cold. To sum it up, the men down low and on the wing are huge difference makers for their team, offensively and defensively. Watch for these five teams to be contenders in March because of their great frontcourt play:

1. North Carolina

The Tar Heels sport three well-proven frontcourt players: Tyler Hansbrough, Marcus Ginyard and Danny Green. All three return for their senior seasons and have secured roles in the Carolina offense with Hansbrough and Ginyard returning as starters. Junior power forward Deon Thompson is the wild card. He has the makings of one of the best 4/5 guys in the country, but has always been overshadowed by Hansbrough. He was fifth in the conference in blocks last season and will continue to be tested defensively & offensively as teams focus on the best player in the country. Five-star recruits Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller will also see time off the bench, and are the main reasons why Carolina is considered the deepest team in the country.

2. Connecticut

Many consider the tandem of junior Hasheem Thabeet and senior Jeff Adrien to be the best center-power forward combo in the country. Thabeet was head and shoulders above everyone else in the Big East with 4.5 blocks per game last season, good for second overall in the country. The tenacious Adrien was the perfect compliment to Thabeet, and top five in rebounds in the conference with 9.1 per game. The expulsion of much-hyped recruit Nate Miles was a blow, but the return of starter Stanley Robinson from academic problems in December will help. While Robinson sits, Gavin Edwards will be forced into extended minutes.

3. Louisville

All of the Cardinals key losses in the off-season were forwards (Caracter, Padgett, and Palacios), yet this group is considered to be even better than last season's. The main reason why is top five recruit Samardo Samuels, who replaces longtime fan favorite David Padgett in the low-post. Samuels' expected impact in the Big East has already been acknowledged, as he's been tabbed as the conference's preseason co-Rookie of the Year. Samuels will join Earl Clark and Terrence Williams, two of the nation's most versatile forwards. Both could have declared for the NBA early but chose to stay at Louisville for their junior and senior seasons respectively. Clark can do it all and do it all well. The team's top rebounder also tied Williams as the Cards' top scorer (11.1 ppg).

4. Wake Forest

If you're looking for a young unit that is going to turn some heads this year, look no further than the Demon Deacons. Sophomore power forward James Johnson, a preseason candidate for the Wooden Award, is coming off a freshman season that saw him average 14.6 points and 8.1 rebounds a game. Junior and true center Chase McFarland ranked second in the ACC with 1.6 blocks per game. But the real focus is on Al-Farouq Aminu, the ACC Preseason Rookie of the Year, who is the most touted prospect the Deacons have had in more than a decade. The Deacons sport two other impact-freshmen in centers Tony Woods and Ty Walker. Walker is referred to on Wake's athletics site as, "one of the most prolific shot blockers ever to play high school basketball." Let's not get too nuts though. For coach Dino Gaudio, the biggest issue will be deciding how to split minutes among a number of talented frontcourt players.

5. Pittsburgh

DeJuan Blair will try to improve on a monstrous freshman season that saw him average a team-best 9.1 rebounds and 11.6 points per game. But the physical 6'7" Blair also led the team in steals with 62, earning him co-Big East Rookie of the Year honors. Senior Sam Young is the team's main scoring threat, however, and has finally emerged as a superstar for the Panthers. Both men are extremely athletic and are the backbone of the Panthers' defense. 6'8" senior Tyrell Biggs is expected to be a regular starter for the first time in his collegiate career. He will be a consistent role player who can eat up minutes and is capable of being a leader on a relatively young team.

Just missed the cut

Michigan State: Junior forward Raymar Morgan leads the best frontcourt in the Big Ten. Senior Marquise Gray finally gets his chance to breakout as a full-time starter, and highly touted Delvon Roe joins the mix.

Oklahoma: All-American sophomore Blake Griffin is the Sooners only returning starter in the frontcourt while a trio of junior college transfers, one UCLA transfer (Ryan Wright), and Griffin's brother Taylor, gives the unit an entirely new and improved look.

Notre Dame: Senior Zach Hillesland will take pressure off Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody. Along with Luke Zeller, they'll try and make Fighting Irish faithful forget about the always-trusty Rob Kurz.

Arizona: It's the Chase Budinger show in Tucson, but 6'10" junior Jordan Hill can be counted on for at least ten points, seven rebounds, and a couple block shots a night.

Texas: Damion James could possibly be the best rebounder in the nation and is complimented perfectly by ever-improving senior Connor Atchley.

ACC Basketball Preview: 2008-09

CHN — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:26:55 -0500

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Conference Rank: 2nd

10 year average: 1st

ACC Page

All-ACC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

c	Tyrese Rice	Boston College	Sr
G	Jack McClinton	Miami	Sr
G	Wayne Ellington	North Carolina	Jr
F	Kyle Singler	Duke	So
F	Tyler Hansbrough	North Carolina	Sr
Second Team
G	Ty Lawson	North Carolina	Jr
G	Greivis Vasquez	Maryland	Jr
F	KC Rivers	Clemson	Sr
F	Gerald Henderson	Duke	Jr
F	James Johnson	Wake Forest	So
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
CHN All-Americans Wayne Ellington Tyler Hansbrough Gerald Henderson Ty Lawson Jack McClinton Tyrese Rice Kyle Singler All-Freshman Team Al-Farouq Aminu Ed Davis Iman Shumpert Chris Singleton Elliot Williams		Points: Tyler Hansbrough 22.6 Rebounds: Tyler Hansbrough 10.2 Assists: Greivis Vasquez 6.8 Team: North Carolina 88.6

ACC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

?	?	ACC	1	NCAA
?	?	ACC	2	NCAA
14	Wake Forest	ACC	3	NCAA
23	Clemson	ACC	4	NCAA
26	Miami	ACC	5	NCAA
39	Virginia Tech	ACC	6	NCAA
67	Maryland	ACC	7	NIT
78	Florida St	ACC	8	NIT
90	Boston College	ACC	9
103	NC State	ACC	10
111	Georgia Tech	ACC	11
130	Virginia	ACC	12

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** returning conference champion

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