Cavs begin ACC slate against Pack

By ANDREW JOYNER
Daily Progress staff writer

The No. 4 Virginia men’s basketball team has a simple request: A chance to play basketball on a regular basis.
The Cavaliers (9-0) are coming off a December in which they played six games, four of which had at least a week’s break in between.
The general period of inactivity — or more precisely lack of activity — ends today when the Cavaliers host N.C. State in their ACC opener at University Hall.
For Virginia, which will be the last ACC team to play a league game, the consistency an ACC slate brings is more than welcomed.
“I can’t wait for ACC play,” said junior guard Roger Mason Jr. after last Sunday’s 112-67 victory over Grambling State. “I’m ready for the ACC and the next challenge. … I know we have N.C. State on Saturday [today] and I know that I’m looking forward to that as is the whole team.”
Added senior forward Chris Williams: “I think you could say that we are a little anxious.”
After today’s game, UVa travels to Clemson on Tuesday and then North Carolina next Saturday. In fact, Virginia will play more games in the next 19 days (7) than it did in December.
“I think our players, like a lot of players, would rather play games in front of crowds than practice,” said Virginia coach Pete Gillen, who will be coaching his 100th game at Virginia today. “I think our guys are looking forward to the games than being at practice. I don’t think they enjoy practice nearly as much as they do the games.”
N.C. State is coming off a 72-65 loss to No. 6 Maryland in its ACC opener Sunday at Raleigh’s Entertainment and Sports Arena. That game was fairly nip-and-tuck before the Terrapins pulled away late at the free-throw line.
The Wolfpack (10-3, 0-1 ACC) has a decidedly different look this year than in the recent past under coach Herb Sendek. The Wolfpack are starting a smaller lineup than in past years and are more of a perimeter-based, slightly more up-tempo unit than most of Sendek’s teams have been.
In some ways, as N.C. State guard Anthony Grundy stated earlier this week, the Cavs and the Pack are near “mirror images.”
While stylistically that may be true, the numbers do not bare that out.
Virginia is second in the ACC in scoring (86.0) while N.C. State is last, averaging 73.1 points per contest. Defensively, the Wolfpack are limiting opponents to an ACC-best 57.1 points per game, compared to 64.3 by Virginia.
While such defense has been a staple of N.C. State recently, it might be the only thing that remains familiar about the Wolfpack, other than Grundy and Archie Miller, both four-year starters.
The Wolfpack, which lost freshman forward Levi Watkins earlier this week to a torn ACL, are starting two freshmen, Julius Hodge and Josh Powell, in their lineup and have at least two other first-year players in their regular rotation. All that accounts for N.C. State being one of the ACC’s youngest teams.
“We have a big challenge with N.C. State. I think they are an improved team from last year and have a real nice mix of youth and enthusiasm and veteran play,” Gillen said.
Sendek was equally complimentary when discussing the Cavaliers. While some nationally have questioned if the Cavaliers truly have been tested entering ACC play, Sendek is not one of them.
“They’re an awfully good basketball team. They are one of the only undefeated teams left in the country,” Sendek said. “The way they’re just dismantling people is impressive. … I do think that they are as formidable as their ranking.”
Virginia has won the past 13 contests against N.C. State at U-Hall and 22 of the past 24. The Wolfpack’s last win in Charlottesville was a 64-63 victory on Feb. 27, 1988 when the Pack were coached by the late Jim Valvano.
“We have to build on what we can control this year and try to go up there and be as competitive as possible,” Sendek said. “Virginia has flat out dominated us in University Hall, there’s no other way around that.”

Free throws. Virginia point guard Majestic Mapp, who is in the middle of missing his second straight season with a right torn ACL, could retain three years of eligibility if he was to petition the NCAA for that sixth season because of medical issues. That petition, however, does not have to be filed this year or even next year. It would have to be done during or at the completion of what would be his fifth year. The NCAA allows athletes five years to play four seasons but sometimes rewards a sixth season usually for medical reasons. … Look for N.C. State’s field-goal shooting to play a key role in today’s contest. Since the 1989-90 season, UVa was won 17 of the 25 meetings against the Wolfpack and in 13 of those 17 victories, N.C. State has shot less than 45 percent from the field 13 times. The Wolfpack has shot 52.5 percent in the eight victories. Of course, the Wolfpack did shoot 61.2 percent from the field in an 88-81 loss to UVa last Jan. 6 in Charlottesville. … The UVa ticket office has announced tickets are not available for Virginia’s four ACC men’s basketball games at University Hall in January. There will not be a public sale of tickets for the Wake Forest (Jan. 15), Florida State (Jan. 20) and Maryland (Jan. 31) games due to the return of UVa students for the spring semester and their expected ticket demand. The ticket office previously announced there are no tickets available for today’s game with N.C. State. A limited number of tickets for the Cavaliers’ home game with VMI on Jan. 24 will go on sale Jan. 14.

U.Va. opens ACC play against N.C. State
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© January 5, 2002

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- As one of Virginia's veteran leaders, Roger Mason Jr. views it as his duty to educate the team's freshmen and give them the benefit of his experience.

So what did Mason tell them about the rigors of ACC play, which the Cavaliers begin today at home against N.C. State?

``You've got to let them know,'' Mason said. ``We're not in la-la land anymore.''

Translation: No more uncontested alley-oop jams for Adam Hall; no more ``What the heck?'' 3-point attempts for Travis Watson; no more loosey-goosey highlight-packed wins over the likes of Howard and Grambling.

``Everybody's level has to be raised,'' Mason said. ``From the trainers to the players to the coaches to the fans.''

Fourth-ranked Virginia, one of just four unbeaten teams in the country, is the last ACC team to begin conference play. Coach Pete Gillen says the Cavaliers are eager to get going.

``We've had some challenges,'' Gillen said. ``But in conference play, the intensity goes up, the aggressiveness goes up, the passion goes up.''

Gillen said the team has played four ``ACC-type'' games, in hard-fought wins over Virginia Tech, Auburn, Georgetown and Rutgers. But nothing compares to the real thing.

``This'll be our hardest game,'' Gillen said.

Virginia had a rude introduction to ACC play last year. The Cavaliers were 10-0 and ranked No. 8 when they were smacked 96-73 in their ACC opener at Wake Forest. Virginia finished 9-7 in the conference.

This year's team is ranked higher than any Virginia squad since 1982-83. Gillen said the lofty ranking hasn't fazed the team.

``We don't talk about that a lot, honestly,'' Gillen said. ``At 2 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, it means nothing.''

Virginia's strengths, Gillen said, have been unselfish play and depth. The Cavaliers go nine deep, with four freshmen coming off the bench.

Much of the credit for the team's fluid play has to go to Mason. His transition from shooting guard to point guard has been virtually seamless. He leads the team in both scoring and assists, quelling fears that he would often have to pass up his own shots to run the team.

With Majestic Mapp lost for the second straight season with a knee injury, the point guard position was Virginia's biggest preseason question. Mason's strong play has allowed freshman Keith Jenifer, projected as the eventual starter at point guard, to be brought along slowly.

Another question was Virginia's ability to win on the road. The Cavaliers were 6-8 away from University Hall last year.

The wins at Auburn and Georgetown were encouraging, perhaps signaling that this year's team will be more composed and consistent away from home.

``We got through the first part of the season pretty well,'' Mason said. ``Now we're ready for the next challenge.''

The best thing about Virginia starting ACC men's basketball play Saturday is that it will give some structure to a season that has been about as disjointed as one could imagine.

It's hard to believe unbeaten and fourth-ranked UVa has played nine games because the Cavaliers have had so much down time, including a current stretch in which they will have played once in 13 days by the time North Carolina State comes to town.

We'll know a lot more about this UVa team at the end of the day Jan. 12, by which time UVa will have entertained the Wolfpack and gone on the road to play Clemson and North Carolina. Clemson just lost to Yale, but, if you haven't noticed, the Tar Heels are getting their act together.

FOOTBALL RECRUITING is on the minds of many UVa fans and it is clear that true freshmen will have an opportunity for ample playing time next year, but they won't be around for spring practice. And, presumably, the Cavaliers will be asked to come up with a two-deep to satisfy the ACC office and various publications that publish preseason handbooks.

Prior to the 2000 season, coach Al Groh authorized assistant sports information director Mike Colley to formulate a two-deep, so I guess there's no harm in me taking a crack at it, remembering that the preseason two-deep will not include signees.

OFFENSE

WR -- Billy McMullen, sr; Ottowa Anderson, so.

WR -- Michael McGrew, jr.; Tavon Mason, sr.

TE -- Patrick Estes, so., Kase Luzar, jr.

OT -- Kevin Bailey, jr; Brian Barthelmes, fr.

OT -- Mike Mullins, sr.; Tom Howell, so.

OG -- Elton Brown, so.; Butch Jefferson, sr.

OG -- Micah Kimball, jr.; Ben Carber, jr.

C -- Jay Green, jr.; Mark Farrington, so.

QB -- Matt Schaub, jr.; Marques Hagans, so.

RB -- Alvin Pearman, so.; Marquis Weeks, so.

FB -- Jonathan Ward, jr.; Ben Vincent, so.

PK -- Andrew Dugger, sr.; Bryan Smith, so.

DEFENSE

DE -- Chris Canty, so.; Matt Stone, fr.

DE -- Larry Simmons, jr.; Brennan Schmidt, fr.

DT -- Andrew Hoffman, so.; Boo Battle, sr.

OLB -- Raymond Mann, jr.; Marcus Hardy, so.

MLB -- Merrill Robertson, sr.; Rich Bedesem, so.

MLB -- Angelo Crowell, sr.; Melvin Massey, fr.

OLB -- Bryan White, so.; Dennis Haley, so.

CB -- Art Thomas, jr.; Jermaine Hardy, so. CB -- Muffin Curry, jr.; Jamaine Winborne, jr.

S -- Shernard Newby, sr., Chris Williams, sr.

S -- Jerton Evans, sr.; Alex Seals, sr.

P -- Sean Johnson, so.; Bryce Coffee, jr.

When I called Colley on Thursday afternoon and shared some of my thoughts, we didn't have too many differences. Butch Jefferson reportedly has told Steve Argeris of the Lynchburg News and Advance that he will not be returning. there are similar questions about place-kicker Andrew Dugger and others.

Until the freshmen report, following are 10 questions/observations I would have about the returnees:

1) After the wideouts, the secondary might be the best unit on the team, and whoever thought that would be the case?

2) Bailey ended the year at center, but will he remain there? Green and Farrington are natural snappers but undersized.

3) What happened to Kimball, hailed by Groh at one point as one of UVa's top seven offensive linemen? Kimball was a center at one point but returned to guard after the switch to Bailey.

4) When was the last time that Virginia entered a season without a place-kicker or punter who has ever attempted a kick in a college game? Walk-on freshman Kurt Smith is a longshot as the place-kicker, but Johnson could handle both spots.

5) Will Boo Battle finally realize some of his potential as a senior? He's really not a defensive tackle, but somebody needs to back up Simmons. That is, unless Hoffman plays tackle and Simmons plays end, moving to tackle when Hoffman comes out of the game.

6) Who is the outside linebacker opposite Raymond Mann? True freshman Bryan White was the backup to John Duckett at the end of the season; redshirt freshmen/rising sophomores Dennis Haley and Marcus Hardy have athletic ability but need to get tougher.

7) What kind of impact will have 2000 Group A player of the year Heath Miller have? Miller, a former quarterback who was converted to tight end, might have been the best freshman -- other than Hagans -- who UVa was able to redshirt?

8) Who are the backups at running back and fullback? Brandon Isaiah is a possibility at both spots but is coming off a season-ending knee injury.

9) Will Tyree Spinner really hang around after the departure of his older brother, Bryson? And, if so, what will the Cavaliers do with him?

10) How much attrition will there be? Other than the seniors and transfers Bryson Spinner and Arlen Harris, Virginia wouldn't have to lose too many more players to award 25 scholarships and still meet the 85-scholarship limit. But, when you look at players like Terrell Ricks, who has been in and out of the doghouse, and another half-dozen players who are never going to play, more defections can be expected.

By DOUG DOUGHTY
Exclusive to roanoke.com by 5 p.m. Fridays

After spending parts of five days on the road, I returned home to 240 unread e-mails, most of which I would put into four categories:

1. Virginia Tech fans who don't like what I write.
2. University of Virginia fans who don't like what I write.
3. Tech and UVa fans complaining about the The Roanoke Times Top 25.
4. Smut.

As venomous as some of these e-mailers can get, it's no wonder that there are people in this world who turn to pornography.

I'll turn first to an e-mail from Ed Stowe, who professes to have defended me in the past, but tells me "shame on you" for my selection of UVa recruits Jason Snelling and Brad Butler for the Top 25.

Ed later apologized for his "burst of frustration" and I've forgiven me, but here's why I selected Butler, a 6-7, 250-pound lineman from E.C. Glass in Lynchburg, to the Top 25: I saw him play.

I covered either eight or nine games this season and Butler was one of the most impressive players I saw. He has been projected as an offensive lineman, but, the night I saw him against a good Cave Spring team, what struck me was his ability to move on defense.

As for Snelling, he and Virginia Tech recruit Aaron Rouse were not in the top 25 one week before it was published. I subsequently showed the list to seven or eight college coaches, and Snelling and Rouse were two players who moved up at the advice of their respective recruiters.

Varina defensive lineman Jonathan Lewis was another prospect who moved up -- from No. 6 to No. 4 -- upon the recommendation of coaches who were recruiting him.

THE BEST PLAYERS not to make the Top 100, available as a link to Notebook Plus in the upper part of this page with the rest of the recruiting lists. They would have to be wide receiver Zohn Burden (6-3, 185) from Salem High School in Virginia Beach and linebacker Jeremy Blunt (6-0, 180) from Group AAA Division 5 champion Phoebus of Hampton.

Burden and Blunt were Nos. 42 and 80, respectively, on my last tentative list, but, in adding players at the last moment and switching players' rankings, they inadvertently were left off the final list. Both project as Division I-AA signees, although Burden also may attract some interest in basketball.

Burden played for Salem's Group AAA championship team last year that included Maryland fall signee John Gilchrist, one of the nation's top point guards.

PRINCESS ANNE HIGH SCHOOL linebacker Kai Parham, the state's No. 3-rated prospect, is in San Antonio, Texas, this week for the All-American Bowl but will not be playing in the East-West Game on Saturday due to a stress fracture in his lower back.

"He'll be wearing a brace until March, but nothing has been damaged," Princess Anne coach Jeff Ballance said Friday. "They think it happened last year during basketball. He was in a little bit of pain during football season, but he was able to play through it."

Ballance said Parham told him before leaving for San Antonio that Tennessee, which he visits Jan. 11, and Virginia, where he goes Jan. 18, are "neck and neck." The only school that possibly could enter the picture is Florida, although the Gators are without a head coach following the resignation Friday of Steve Spurrier.

Ballance is a former Virginia Tech player and said Parham's decision to eliminate the Hokies "surprised me and didn't surprise me. We've been going up there [to camps] for 12 years and Kai had been going for four years. He said he felt closer to [Tech] coach [Bryan] Stinespring than anybody but he didn't want to go there.

"You've got your Virginia kids and your Virginia Tech kids and Kai is just a Virginia-type kid. Part of that is the academic history. His mother is a lawyer and they're really close. I know she was disappointed that he wasn't going to visit Notre Dame and Stanford."

BACK TO THE E-MAILS: Most of the correspondence I have received is from Tech fans questioning my assertion that quarterback Grant Noel has earned the right to start next year or UVa fans questioning whether Tech qualifies as a national power.

On the first point, I think I wrote that Noel has earned the right to begin the 2002 season as the Tech starter. That doesn't mean, if he fails to get the job done, that he should start the entire season. I also think it's a moot point because coach Frank Beamer isn't likely to bench a fifth-year senior coming off an 8-4 season.

Tech fans might point out that the program has reached the point where eight-win seasons are no longer satisfactory, but they need to take one thing into account: It's not like Tech has Michael Vick standing on the sidelines, waiting to take Noel's place.

True freshman Bryan Randall was Noel's backup and you saw what happened when Randall replaced Noel on the Hokies' final offensive play against Florida State -- a wobbly pass that turned into a routine FSU interception.

To be fair to Randall, he had not warmed up. But he had not been impressive on earlier occasions this past season, which makes you wonder about redshirt Chris Clifton or any other quarterbacks (Marcus Vick?) that Tech might sign. If one of the top-rated quarterback prospects in the country (which Randall was) isn't ready to play in his first year, how easy is it going to be for any other true freshman?

NOW TO THE SUBJECT of whether Tech is a national power: The argument from many Hokie critics is that Tech doesn't play enough Top 25 teams to be considered a national power and I'm not here to apologize for Tech's schedule.

What I will say is that the system hasn't penalized Tech for weak scheduling, if you consider it weak scheduling. If the NCAA had a playoff system for football similar to the NCAA basketball tournaments, there would be a selection committee to consider the subject of strength of schedule.

Tech's schedule will improve next year, when the Hokies play LSU and Texas A&M, but I'm not sure there is much incentive -- under the current system -- to play a tough schedule. While the Bowl Championship Series has a formula for determining the pairings for a 1-vs.-2 matchup, teams can float through the No. 10-20 slots with little retribution for a weak schedule.

Tech's schedule may be a point of irritation for its critics. From a national standpoint, what most people will remember this year is that Tech gave national champion Miami its toughest test, 26-24.

Cavaliers' 'next challenge' arrives

By Jim Reedy
Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, January 5, 2002; Page D10

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Jan. 4 -- Two weeks ago, Virginia might not have been ready for this. The wins kept coming, but the No. 4 Cavaliers dissected their mistakes, saying they needed to improve if they were to retain their top-five ranking when ACC play began.

That time has come. Conference rival N.C. State visits University Hall on Saturday. The Cavaliers say they are prepared for 16 games in one of the nation's toughest conferences, after playing some of their best basketball of the season in last weekend's 112-67 blowout of Grambling State.

"We came out more focused [against Grambling] than we've been for a lot of the other games," said junior guard Roger Mason, who leads Virginia with 18.3 points and 5.9 assists per game. "We used this to tune up for N.C. State and get ready. The ACC is a new level of play, and I think we'll be ready for it."

The Cavaliers (9-0) open their conference schedule with three unranked opponents -- road games at Clemson and North Carolina follow Saturday's opener -- but Virginia Coach Pete Gillen said every ACC game will be a challenge.

"This will be our hardest game and then we're going to have a lot of wars right after that," said Gillen, whose team is the last ACC team to begin conference play. "[ACC] teams know us. They know our weaknesses. We have to get that across to our players and we have to respond on the court."

Gillen and his starters, which include two seniors and two juniors, have ACC experience, but the other four players in the rotation are freshmen. Gillen is not sure if they have heeded his warnings.

"We're trying to make it clear that it's going to be more difficult, more aggressive," Gillen said. "People will be diving on the floor, tackling you, and you've just got to be ready for an aggressive game."

In the past few seasons, N.C. State was one of the teams that gave the ACC its bruising reputation. This year, with the departure of several senior big men and star forward Damien Wilkins, the Wolfpack (10-3, 0-1 ACC) is stronger on the wing.

"I think we have similar teams," Gillen said. "They have very good athletes and we have very good athletes. Usually we play up-tempo, and I think they enjoy playing that way. They always play us very tough."

N.C. State has come close to victory in its last six trips to Charlottesville, with an average margin of defeat of less than five points. Yet Jim Valvano's 1988 squad was the last Wolfpack team to win at Virginia.

The challenge this season is stiff for N.C. State, a young team picked by the ACC media to finish seventh in the conference. Senior guard Anthony Grundy leads the team with 14.6 points and 2.1 steals per game after playing a complementary role in past years. Sophomore Marcus Melvin and freshmen Josh Powell and Julius Hodge are also double-digit scorers.

"Powell's a great young player and he's doing a terrific job so far for them," Gillen said. "We're certainly concerned about him."

N.C. State has won the games it was supposed to win, but it has lost three of its four games against teams from major conferences. The Wolfpack fell to Ohio State and Massachusetts and upset No. 9 Syracuse on the road before losing to No. 8 Maryland last weekend, 72-65.

Gillen is taking nothing for granted, though, calling tomorrow's game "a whole new ballgame."

"We've had some ACC-type games -- Georgetown, Virginia Tech, Auburn, Rutgers," Gillen said. "[But] from now on, these games are going to be more intense. They're going to know us better and play us tougher."

From late hits to Free Shoes U, Spurrier vs. FSU was interesting

The rivalry will remain hot, just not as spicy.

Steve Spurrier turned up the temperature on a Florida State-Florida series that arguably became the nation's best during his 12 seasons as head Gator. He went for the jugular, taking the rivalry to the edge with an innovative offense and comments offensive to anybody Seminole.

He didn't always hit the mark. His Gators were 5-8-1 against FSU and never defeated the Seminoles in Tallahassee. But the Gators' only national championship came at the expense of FSU. Spurrier ripped Bobby Bowden's staff for encouraging late hits in the 1996 regular-season finale, and then added to the insult by defeating the Seminoles in the Sugar Bowl for the national title.

"However heated it (already) was, he brought heat to it," Bowden said. "It added a little fuel."

Spurrier resigned on Friday with his latest salvo at the FSU program still fresh. He accused the team of playing dirty following Florida's 37-13 victory in November. Spurrier claimed defensive tackle Darnell Dockett twisted running back Earnest Graham's knee and tried to stomp on quarterback Rex Grossman's hand.

Dockett, reached at his Maryland home on Friday, first greeted the news of Spurrier's resignation with diplomacy. "Oh well. Bye," he said.

The rising junior later added, "I don't like the guy so it doesn't matter. I think the reason that he left is that he has a lot of talented teams in the past. He hasn't won but one national championship, and he's getting frustrated."

Whatever the reason for Spurrier's departure, Seminole Boosters executive director Charlie Barnes welcomed Spurrier's decision enthusiastically. He sees this as a chance to return the rivalry to civility. Barnes was concerned that Spurrier's growing list of personal attacks on the program would lead to something ugly in the stands.

"What had become a pretty good rivalry between two equal programs turned into something darker, and that was all because of (Spurrier) and the hateful things he said about Coach Bowden and Florida State," Barnes said. "And it made it difficult for people to maintain the sportsmanship element of the rivalry.

"The bottom line is he took the fun out of the rivalry."

Barnes, as with many associated with FSU, can rattle off Spurrier's barbs that kept the rivalry on the front burner year-round. When FSU put together the No. 1 recruiting class in 1993, Spurrier inferred that the Seminoles' recruiting might be worth a closer look. "FSU has to have the best recruiters in college football the way they can convince these players they can go up there and beat out the high school All-Americans that are already up there," he said. "I don't know how they do it."

Spurrier ruffled FSU fans when in 1994 he referred to FSU as "Free Shoes University." That followed a shopping spree paid for by sport agents, and preceded Florida's own sports agent woes. Until the Dockett allegations, Bowden usually took it in stride. But the recent attack on his staff's integrity found its mark.

"He's gone. I don't have to worry about what he says anymore," Bowden said. "But we have always gotten along well when we were together, like at the Nike convention. No problems. Like that roughing the passer and hitting late stuff. When we saw each other in the Sugar Bowl, he just said, 'I got to defend my players. It wasn't personal.'

"He did it to motivate them. And I guess it worked."

Bowden said the rivalry will be different in the wake of Spurrier's departure. FSU players and coaches agreed. Travis Johnson, Dockett's backup, said playing Florida has been fun because it's also a Bowden-Spurrier rivalry. Jeff Bowden saluted Spurrier for his offensive creativity.

"I think it's a loss," said the offensive coordinator. "I think they are going to get a good person. But to replace him and what he brought to the table is going to be hard to do."

But will Bobby Bowden miss Spurrier?

"Not on Saturdays," Bowden said. "He's about as good as it gets."

UVa's ranking on line in ACC opener against N.C. State
By Steve Argeris
The News & Advance
CHARLOTTESVILLE - Speculation in ACC country abounds that Virginia's No. 4 ranking record might be more a reflection of the upset-heavy months of November and December clearing the top of the polls than any actual talent on Virginia. The Cavaliers (9-0) are entering ACC play with one victory over a ranked team - a 61-55 win over Georgetown Dec. 20 - and the Hoyas are likely to drop out of next week's poll.

"We are getting recognition and we are ranked high, but we don't really talk about numbers because it doesn't really mean anything at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon," Gillen said. "You have to play, the game is a whole separate entity. We don't really talk about it. What we talk about is getting better and improving and the bulls' eye is getting bigger on our back."

Now, with North Carolina State coming to town at 2 p.m. today, the Cavaliers have to reassert themselves and their place in the ACC.

"The intensity goes up," Virginia coach Pete Gillen said. "We're trying to make that clear. You tell these young men that, but sometimes, they hear the words but they are not listening."

Virginia has a lot to be excited about. Roger Mason Jr. continues to emerge as a premier player, averaging 18.3 points, 5.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. Chris Williams is as steady as ever, with an efficient 15.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Travis Watson, the Brookneal-based junior center, is averaging a double-double, at 13 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.

The Cavaliers' bench, with four freshmen, is producing 19.7 points per game, with Elton Brown averaging 9.

"I like our freshmen," said Gillen when asked what pleased him about the team thus far. "We'll see what happens when conference play begins, and we have got to execute better in the half-court offense."

A major key will be Mason, who will face far superior challenges in the league's point guards than the nonconference opposition provided. N.C. State coach Herb Sendek, for one, was impressed with his transition from a scorer to a playmaker.

"What makes him so special is that he is truly a player without a position," Sendek said. "He is able to guard any position on the floor. His shooting, his passing, and his ability to put the ball on the floor give him the ability to play any position on offense as well."

Freshmen account for 41 percent of the playing time at State (10-3, 0-1). Foremost among them is Julius Hodge, the Wolfpack's prized guard from St. Raymond's High School in the Bronx (Virginia guard Majestic Mapp's alma mater). Hodge is averaging 10.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Senior Anthony Grundy, one of the toughest players in the league, inch for inch, leads the Wolfpack in scoring at 14.5 points per game.

Grundy looks forward to this afternoon's game.

"The tempo they play is similar to ours," Grundy said. "It's like a mirror image."

Wolfpack on the Prowl
N.C. State Preview
Brett Wood, Special to TheSabre.Com, January 4th, 2002.

If history is any indicator, you can forget what has happened on the court in November and December. When the bell rings for conference play, every game has the potential to be a nailbiter. Certainly that's what should be anticipated this Saturday when Herb Sendek's North Carolina State Wolfpack makes its annual visit to University Hall.

Before I breakdown Saturday's contest, let's set the stage for the season. Last season, I used a base of 9 - 7 for the Cavs, with 7 wins expected at home and 2 wins on the road. This conference won-loss guide is intended to keep perspective on the teams' progress. If we were to open the season on the road against Maryland and Duke with a pair of losses, it would be far from a catastrophe. On the other hand, a pair of home losses to Clemson and Florida State would be a disaster.

This season, my base is 10 - 6 with 3 wins coming in road games. This may sound a bit conservative to some, but in my mind the team still has some questions to answer and a 10 - 6 record would be a quality conference season and good for at least third place.

The game against North Carolina State Saturday is one the Cavs must win, but it won't be easy. The young Wolfpack squad is 10 - 3 and has made good progress this season. They whipped Syracuse on the road and played a solid game against Maryland before faltering late. I believe the credit for State's improvement belongs to new assistant coach Larry Hunter. Hunter did a fine job at Ohio University before being canned last year despite a winning record. Hunter has brought his pressing, uptempo style to Raleigh and the Pack is running more than they have previously under Sendek. Will Hunter save Sendek's job? It will all depend on ACC wins and losses.

State is averaging 74.4 points per game on .462 shooting from the field. Their three-point shooting has been mediocre at just .319 but they've shot very well from the charity stripe at .750. The Pack is outrebounding opponents by 4.4 per game and has a positive 4.9 turnover margin. While Hunter has juiced up the Pack's running game, Sendek's teams have always played sticky defense and this squad is no exception. The Pack is holding opponents to 55.6 points per game and to an anemic .386 shooting from the field.

Senior guard Anthony Grundy (14.1 points, 3.5 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals, .484 FG%) is the heart and soul of this Wolfpack team. The slender, long-armed wing is a streaky perimeter shooter and an excellent ball thief on defense. Fellow senior Archie Miller (9.6 points, 3.9 assists, .421 FG%) is his backcourt running mate. The diminutive Miller was one of the ACC's deadliest three-point threats last season but has been average from that range so far this campaign at .365. Still, the Cavs don't want to provide him with open looks from the arc.

Highly touted freshman Julius Hodge (10.2 points, 4.4 rebounds) starts at wing forward though he's much better suited to guard. Hodge hasn't put together a rookie-of-the-year campaign, but he has been solid and there's no mistaking that he will be a formidable force for the next four years. Hodge's classmate, Josh Powell (12 points, 5.9 rebounds, .650 FG%) may be the conference's best freshman performer this season to date. The agile 6'9" native of Georgia is a combo forward playing the center position for State and is doing it surprisingly well. His combination of height and agility will make him a difficult defensive assignment but he will also have difficulty keeping Travis Watson away from the glass.

Sophomore forward Marcus Melvin (11.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, .566 FG%, .379 3PT%) rounds out the starting line up. Melvin is another combo forward type and is a surprising shooter from three-point range.

The bench is solid. Sophomore wing Scooter Sherrill (4.8 points), junior guard Clifford Crawford (4.7 points), freshman forward Ilian Evtimov (3.2 points), and freshman center Jordan Collins (1.4 points) will provide most of the relief minutes. Freshman forward Levi Watkins (3.0 points) has been lost for the season with a torn ACL.

The book on Virginia remains the same until the Cavs force a rewrite. State will likely test the Hoos' ballhandling with some full and half court pressure. While a sticky, physical man-to-man defense has been Sendek's hallmark, don't be surprised to see a zone with a few junk defenses mixed in. Virginia's considerable advantage in the paint will provide additional incentive for the Pack to throw a zone at the Cavs.

The keys for Virginia will be execution on offense, taking care of the basketball, and dominating the boards. If Sendek doesn't open with a zone, expect the Hoos to pound the ball into the paint. The match up defensively on Roger Mason, Jr., should be interesting. Grundy is the best defender, but the Pack cannot afford for him to be in foul trouble. Miller has no chance. Hodge may be the choice, but that would put Grundy on Chris Williams. Miller isn't hot from the perimeter, we'll likely see a lot of the bigger and more athletic Cliff Crawford. The match ups just don't work for State and that's all the more reason to expect a zone.

All conference games are critical and all of them have the potential for an upset. Virginia has a better team that North Carolina State, but the difference isn't as great as the difference between Iowa and Northern Iowa, UCLA and Pepperdine, etc. The Cavs must be ready to play because this is a huge game for State and Sendek is coaching every contest like his job depends on it, and it may.

N.C. State adds to 2003 recruiting pack