HOW THEY'LL STACK UP

DUKE: 46-2 past three seasons in ACC; Don't expect trend to stop.

MARYLAND: Beat Duke at Cameron last year, could be a spoiler.

NORTH CAROLINA: Heels can't afford to underachieved in ACC again.

WAKE FOREST: Lithuanian import, Songaila, could leave Wake dancing.

VIRGINIA: 19 wins and no invite to Big Dance makes Cavs very hungry.

N.C. STATE: Thornton's DUI arrest will have lasting effect on Wolfpack.

CLEMSON: Only 4 wins after Jan. 1 last season; Sign of things to come?

GEORGIA TECH: Believe us when we say Hewitt is right man for this job.

FLORIDA STATE: Not much to work with here; Joiner will help.

		Tuesday, Nov. 7 Webster's Dictionary defines "back" as meaning "to or toward a former position." In the case of the ACC, that means shrugging off the also-ran status which resulted in two successive years of only three NCAA Tournament invitations, and getting "back" to the top of nearly every power rating. Despite two consecutive seasons which were notably devoid of the ACC traditional top to bottom balance, this year's expected return to the top is possible because everybody is "back". For the first time since 1990, the league did not lose a marquee underclassmen to the professional ranks. Maryland won 25 games last year and, literally, has everyone "back," including All-ACC performers Juan Dixon, Lonny Baxter, and Terrence Morris. Wake Forest won the 2000 NIT, and every significant player, including Darius Songaila, is "back". Virginia barely missed the NCAA Tournament a year ago, and every important player is "back". Duke lost Chris Carrawell, but Shane Battier, Jason Williams and Mike Dunleavy are "back". North Carolina's new boss, Matt Doherty welcomes "back" six of last season's top seven players, as well as Brian Bersticker and Ronald Curry who are "back" from injuries. N.C. State has just about everybody "back," and adds a strong freshmen class. For Clemson, Will Solomon, the ACC's leading scorer a year ago is "back". Georgia Tech and Florida State lost more players than other schools in this conference-wide "back to the future" movement, but FSU's cat-quick guard Delvon Arrington is "back" to lead a very athletic group. And, potentially dominating center Alvin Jones is "back" at Georgia Tech. All in all, it looks like ACC fans will be able to get "back" to the business of bragging about being the best conference in America.

ESPN.com All-Conference Team
Guard: Jason Williams
Sophomore, Duke
Guard: Joseph Forte
Sophomore, North Carolina
Center: Lonny Baxter
Junior, Maryland
Forward: Shane Battier
Senior, Duke
Forward: Terrence Morris
Senior, Maryland

Player of Year
Shane Battier, Duke
Multidimensional star who can score, defend, and rebound, while recognizing the need to develop himself in areas outside of the athletic arena. On the court, he averaged 17.4 points a game last season and 5.6 rebounds, while shooting 3-pointers at a 44.4 percent clip. His senior leadership will be just as key in the Blue Devils' success.

Introducing ...
Adam Boone, North Carolina.
With Ed Cota gone, Boone will have lots of opportunities to succeed on a very good team. The 6-foot-2 guard out of Minnesota may not replace Cota's leadership, but he will handle the ball and score much like his predecessor.

Best backcourt
Maryland: Steve Blake and Juan Dixon are explosive and intense, and now, with a year's experience under their belts, they are ready to let the whole country know it. Dixon averaged 18 points a game, while Blake got him the ball in the Terrapins' offense, dishing out 6.2 assists a game. Both shot over 36 percent from behind the arc, and together grabbed 8.5 rebounds per contest.

Best frontcourt
Duke: With potential National Player of the Year, Shane Battier, impressive and improving Carlos Boozer, reliable and underrated Nate James, versatile Mike Dunleavy, and a cast of talented backup players, this frontcourt should bedevil foes all season.

Team on way up
Virginia: In Pete Gillen's third season, this team's talent and experience will make their style even more difficult for the opposition. These guys could be much better than the experts think. They'll also be determined to take their NCAA fate out out the committee's hands this March.

Team on way down
Georgia Tech: The strongest conference in at least three years will be a tough proving ground for new head coach Paul Hewitt, who arrives a year after Jason Collier's departure.

Tournament tough
NCAA: Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest, North Carolina State.
NIT: Clemson.