INSIDE THE NUMBERS

2000-01 record: 23-11; 9-7 in ACC (3rd) Postseason: Lost to Oregon 92-87 in second round of NCAA Midwest Region. RETURNING LEADERS Points: Howard 13.9 Rebs: Howard 7.7 Assists: Howard 2.1 FG: Howard 50.4% 3pt: Downey 40.8% FT: Downey 73.9% 01-02 Stats: Wake Forest | ACC KEY LOSSES Darius Songaila | 17.9 ppg Antwan Scott | 10.0 ppg Craig Dawson | 12.4 ppg Broderick Hicks | 9.6 ppg PROJECTED STARTERS G | Taron Downey | Soph G | T. Strickland | Fresh F | Josh Howard | Senior F | Vytas Danelius | Soph C | Eric Williams | Senior Player to Watch Josh Howard Senior Forward Will likely be the focal point of offense, but defense is his forte'. DATE TO REMEMBER Jan. 12 The Deacons draw a difficult ACC-opening assignment, traveling to Cameron Indoor Stadium to play Duke. At least Wake Forest is getting the Blue Devils early in the season, before all those Duke freshman gel. Then again, Duke can say the same about the Deacons.

 

WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS

The Deacons are like their Tobacco Road brethren at Duke and North Carolina -- at the mercy of freshmen. Five seniors are gone from last season's NCAA Tournament team, including leading scorer and rebounder Darius Songaila, but they are replaced by one of the better recruiting classes in the country. McDonald's All-American Eric Williams leads the rookies, and while he plays nothing like the more skilled Songaila, Williams is a 6-9, 270-pound force who figures to plug into the starting center spot. Around that sun will orbit a number of skilled players, freshmen and veterans alike, led by senior All-America candidate Josh Howard (13.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg), rangy 6-8 sophomore Vytas Danelius (6.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and three freshmen - 6-2 Justin Gray, 6-5 Trent Strickland and 6-5 Richard Joyce. Two other sophomores will return, like Danelius, to larger roles: 6-0 Taron Downey (4.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg), who will compete with Gray at point guard, and 6-9 wing Jamaal Levy (2.7 ppg).

TOUGH ENOUGH..............................
Howard has been plagued in the preseason by shin splints, and if that's a recurring theme throughout the season, the Deacons are in trouble because they count on him to do so much. He is their best scorer, defender and offensive rebounder, and can do all of those things at an elite national level. Howard has been slowed for the past year by a variety of ailments, but when he's at full speed he is all but unstoppable on the offensive glass.

TOUGH ENOUGH?..............................
The Deacons should be fine on the interior, with Danelius a pogo-stick who can rebound and score, Williams a mammoth center, 6-9 freshman Chris Ellis able to help and Howard a jumping jack who plays much larger than 6-6. On the perimeter, with the losses of four-year contributors Broderick Hicks and Craig Dawson, the Deacons will be breaking in new leaders. Downey was serviceable last season in a supporting role, and Gray and Strickland look most ready among the freshmen to contribute immediately.

BOTTOM LINE..............................
Out with the old, in with the new, back to the postseason looks like the recipe for the Deacons, who have been to either the NCAA Tournament or NIT for 12 consecutive seasons. Postseason No. 13 looks good, but which tournament remains a question to be answered by the combination of Howard's health and the freshmen's maturity.