No. 23 Wake Forest Takes On Arkansas
12/19/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 19, 1999
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest plays its third game in six days tonight at Bud Walton Arena. The Demon Deacons, who are ranked 23rd by USA Today and 25th by AP, are coming off a 79-35 victory over High Point on Friday night. Tonight's game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
SERIES VS. ARKANSAS - The Wake Forest series with Arkansas includes four previous meetings, including one last season. The Demon Deacons and Razorbacks have each won twice in the series.
The first get-together between the two schools took place in the first round of the 1977 NCAA Tournament in Norman, Oklahoma. Wake trailed by 13 points at halftime, but rallied behind the play of All-American Rod Griffin (26 pts, 10 rebs) to take an 86-80 win.
The Deacs and Razorbacks then staged a two-game series in the early 1980's, exchanging road wins in two tough defensive battles. Wake won in Little Rock in 1982, 49-48, then Arkansas captured a 68-65 victory the following year in the Greensboro Coliseum.
In the most recent meeting last year in Winston-Salem, Arkansas used a 15-5 run in the final 5:00 of the game to take a 75-59 victory while the Razorback defense held the Deacons to just 33% from the floor. DARIUS SONGAILA, who will not play this Monday against Arkansas, scored 23 pts and pulled down 12 rebs while ROBERT O'KELLEY added 16 pts in that game.
THE LINEUP - The Demon Deacons used the same starting lineup for seven of the first eight games of the season (ROBERT O'KELLEY, JOSH HOWARD, RAFAEL VIDAURRETA, DARIUS SONGAILA and NIKI ARINZE), including during each of the first six games. In all, 11 different Deacons have started at least one game in their career while seven different players have started 10 or more games.
Wake Forest used 15 different starting lineups during the 1998-99 season as twelve different players started at least one game.
THE HEAD COACH - The 1999-2000 season is the 11th at Wake Forest for coach DAVE ODOM, who has built the Demon Deacon program into one of the nation's best and most consistent. The Deacs made seven consecutive NCAA appearances from 1991 through 1997, then extended their string of postseason tourneys to nine in a row by playing in the 1998 and 1999 NIT.
Odom is a three-time ACC Coach of the Year (1991, 1994, 1995). From 1993 through 1998, his Wake Forest teams won 20-or-more games each season. Since a losing record in his first year with the Deacs, his teams have won 67% of their games, averaging 21 wins per season over the last nine years. Wake Forest won back-to-back ACC titles in 1995 and 1996, establishing a school record for wins (26-6) each year, and in 1997 spent 10 weeks as the nation's #2-ranked team.
PROBABLE DEMON DEACON LINEUP
| No. Name | Pos. | Ht. | Class | PPG | RPG | Career Starts (99-00) |
| 4 Robert O'Kelley | G | 6'1 | Jr. | *13.8 | 1.3 | 58 (8) |
| 5 Josh Howard | G | 6'6 | Fr. | 6.6 | 2.6 | 8 (8) |
| 41 Rafael Vidaurreta | C | 6'9 | Jr. | 3.5 | 5.9 | 54 (8) |
| 33 Niki Arinze | F | 6'5 | So. | 7.6 | 3.8 | 35 (7) |
| 44 Josh Shoemaker | F/C | 6'9 | Jr. | 7.8 | *6.9 | 34 (0) |
TOP RESERVES
| No. Name | Pos. | Ht. | Class | PPG | RPG | Career Starts (99-00) |
| 25 Darius Songaila | F | 6'9 | So. | 11.5 | 4.9 | 32 (8) |
| 42 Craig Dawson | G | 6'5 | So. | 10.1 | 2.5 | 12 (0) |
| 3 Broderick Hicks | G | 6'1 | So. | 6.6 | 2.0 | 8 (1) |
| 31 Ervin Murray | G | 6'5 | So. | 1.8 | 1.5 | 14 (0) |
| 34 Antwan Scott | F | 6'8 | So. | 5.4 | 3.5 | 3 (0) |
| 52 Tate Decker | F | 6'11 | Jr. | 3.3 | 2.3 | 0 (0) |
HEAD COACH - Dave Odom (11th year at Wake Forest) / Won 206, Lost 108
(14th year Overall) / Won 244, Lost 150
UP NEXT - The Demon Deacons close out the 1990's after Christmas at the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii (Dec. 27-30), opening that tournament against Oregon. Wake Forest will start ACC play on January 4th when the Deacs host Florida State in Winston-Salem.
SONGAILA OUT WITH SPRAINED KNEE - Sophomore forward DARIUS SONGAILA suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee during the opening minute of the second half in Friday night's game against High Point. Team doctors determined that there is no tear of ligaments in his knee and he will be able to return to the court with treatment and rehab work.
Songaila will be day-to-day for the next 2-3 weeks, and his return to the lineup will be based on his improvement during that time. He will not play against Arkansas and his status for the Rainbow Classic next week is questionable.
BIGGEST WIN SINCE - Wake Forest's 79-35 win over High Point was its largest margin of victory since Joel Coliseum was opened in 1989 (44 points) -- the previous high was a 41 point win over Appalachian State (91-50) in 1995. The win over the Panthers was the largest overall since a 45 point victory over Maryland-Eastern Shore (105-60) in 1986-87.
Additionally, the 35 points was the fewest allowed by a Deacon team since holding Atlantic Christian to 30 points in 1947-48 (a 61-30 win).
IN THE NATIONAL POLLS - Wake Forest is nationally ranked in both major polls for the second consecutive week after being unranked at the outset of the 1999-2000 campaign. Currently, the Demon Deacons are ranked 23rd in the USA Today poll and 25th by AP. A week ago, Wake Forest cracked the nation's Top 25 for the first time since December 15, 1997 when the Deacs were ranked 23rd by AP and 22nd by USA Today.
Being in the national polls is nothing new to Wake Forest, however, as the Deacs were ranked in the AP poll for 54 consecutive weeks from November 1994 to March 1997.
In the National Rankings
| Week of | AP | USA | ||
| Preseason | -- | -- | ||
| Dec. 6 | 18 | 21 | ||
| Dec. 13 | 25 | 23 |
Against Ranked Opponents
| Opponent | AP | USA |
| Temple | 9 | 10 |
FIRSTS AGAINST GEORGIA - Wake Forest's 68-67 loss to Georgia last Saturday -- the first of the season for the Demon Deacons -- marked a number of statistical firsts for the 1999-2000 season. The Deacs were outrebounded (40-31), attempted less free throws than their opponent (20-15), shot under 40% (38.8%) and allowed their opponent to shoot over 50% (52.0%).
That trend reversed itself in victories over UNC Greensboro and High Point last week, so Wake Forest remains undefeated when it outrebounds its opponent, attempts more free throws, shoots over 40% or hold its opponent under 50% from the floor.
SHOT TALK - After shooting 43.1% from the floor last season, the Demon Deacons have shot that low just once in eight games this year. The Deacs shot a season low 38.8% against Georgia, but have shot at least 50% from the floor in four games this season (60.3% at Navy, 55.4% vs UMES, 50.0% vs Wisconsin, and 51.6% vs High Point). Wake Forest shot over 50% in only six of 31 games last season.
FREE THROW WOES CONTINUE - While shooting accuracy from the floor has improved this season, the Deacons have been very inconsistent at the free throw line. After hitting 37 of their first 48 free throws (77.1%) in the first two games of the year, Wake Forest connected on only 77 of 132 (58.3%) free throw attempts in the last six games. Last year, Wake Forest ranked second in the ACC with a 72.1% mark at the line.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS / COMPARING 1998-99 TO 1999-00 - Through the first eight games of the 1999-2000 season, some interesting statistical trends have developed as compared to last year. As a team, Wake Forest is attempting 11.3 more 2pt-field goals per game than last season, while the Demon Deacons are taking 4.3 less 3pt-field goals per contest. Overall, the Deacs are taking (7.1) and making (6.6) more field goals per game the season as opposed to last year.
1998-99 vs. 1999-00
| Year | All FGA | FGM | 2pt Att | 2pt M | 3pt Att | 3pt M |
| 1998-99 | 52.3 | 22.5 | 34.5 | 16.4 | 17.9 | 6.2 |
| 1999-00 | 59.4 | 29.1 | 45.8 | 23.8 | 13.6 | 5.4 |
| Diff. | +7.1 | +6.6 | +11.3 | +7.4 | -4.3 | -0.8 |
ODOM HITS 200 - Wake Forest's win over Campbell in the season opener was the 200th at the school for Demon Deacon head coach DAVE ODOM, who is now 11th on the ACC all-time victory list (206-108). He is on pace to surpass both Jim Valvano (209 wins at NC State) and Vic Bubas (213 at Duke) during the 1999-2000 campaign. Odom's overall record as a head coach is now 244-150 including a three-year stint at East Carolina from 1980 through 1982.
On the Wake Forest career coaching list, Odom ranks 3rd behind Carl Tacy (222-149 record from 1973-1985) and the school's all-time victory leader, Murray Greason (288-243 from 1934-1957). Odom's 86 ACC victories (he's 86-70), however, are the most for any Demon Deacon coach.
BIG SECOND HALF LEADS - Wake Forest has outscored its opponents by an average of 22.3 points per game, with five of eight games being decided by more than 10 points. In fact, Wake Forest has held a double-digit lead for at least one point in the second half in all eight games this season.
ON THE GLASS - The Demon Deacons have dominated the battle on the boards in the first eight games of the season, outrebounding their opponents by nearly nine boards per game. The Demon Deacons have outrebounded every opponent except Georgia (Wake Forest's only loss) this year. For the season, Wake Forest is outrebounding its opponents by 8.7 per game (40.8 to 32.1), the second best figure in the ACC.
GETTING TO THE LINE IMPORTANT - In the seven games that the Demon Deacons have attempted as many or more free throws than their opponents they are a perfect 7-0. The only time Wake Forest did not accomplish that feat was against Georgia (a 68-67 loss) when the Bulldogs shot 20 free throws to the Deacs' 15 attempts.
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST - Wake Forest scored over 80 points in each of the first three games of the season, the first time the Demon Deacons scored 80+ points in three consecutive games since December of 1992. (Wake Forest topped 80 points just three times in 31 games last season). The Deacons are averaging 77.9 points through seven games. Wake Forest has averaged over 80 points per game just once in 10 previous years under head coach Dave Odom (80.5 ppg in 1990-91) and better than 70 points in five of 10 years.
BUT A BALANCED ATTACK - The Demon Deacons are averaging 77.9 points through eight games, but no player is scoring more than 14 points per game. ROBERT O'KELLEY leads the Deacs with a 13.8 ppg average while DARIUS SONGAILA (11.5 ppg) and CRAIG DAWSON (10.1 ppg) are each scoring in double figures. A closer examination of the statistics reveals that seven different players are scoring over six points per game and nine different players are averaging at least four points per contest.
Double Digit Deacons
| Scoring | Rebounding | |
| Niki ARINZE | 2 times (Campbell & HPU) | |
| Craig DAWSON | 3 times (Navy, Wisc., Temple) | |
| Broderick HICKS | once (UMES) | |
| Josh HOWARD | once (UMES) | |
| Robert O'KELLEY | 6 times (6 of last 7) | |
| Antwan SCOTT | once (High Point) | |
| Josh SHOEMAKER | once (UMES) | |
| Darius SONGAILA | 5 times (17 of 23 overall) | |
| Rafael VIDAURRETA | 2 times |
TIME SHARING - Through the first eight games of the season, the Demon Deacons have operated with a very deep bench. Nine different players are averaging better than 10 minutes per game while no player is playing more than 30 minutes per contest. Junior ROBERT O'KELLEY, who averaged 35.0 mpg last season, leads the team with 29.6 mpg.
Thirteen different Demon Deacons played at least 10 minutes in Friday night's win over High Point.
THREE-POINT STREAK CONTINUES - Wake Forest enters the game against Arkansas having made at least one three-point field goal in 238 consecutive games. The last time that the Demon Deacons did not make a three-pointer was in a 1992 homecourt victory over Tulane.
DEFENSIVE DEACS - The Wake Forest defense is holding opponents to 36.6% from the floor and forcing an average of 18.36 turnovers per contest (last year opponents turned the ball over 14.6 times per game). The Deacs rank second in the ACC in turnover margin (+3.9).
Another aspect of the Deacon defense is an increased shot blocking presence. In the 90-55 win at Navy, the Deacs blocked 11 shots - the most in a single game since Tim Duncan's senior season (79 games) - and now have 44 blocks on the season (5.5 per game). Sophomore ANTWAN SCOTT and freshman JOSH HOWARD lead the team in that department with 10 rejections apiece.
20 or More Turnovers by Demon Deacon Opponents
| Year | Opponent (Turnovers) |
| 1999-00 | Campbell (26), Navy (22), Georgia (24), High Point (23) |
| 1998-99 | Ill (26), UNCG (23), Mercer (21), Coastal (22), FSU (22) |
| 1997-98 | Radford (22), Missouri (22) |
| 1996-97 | none |
| 1995-96 | none |
| 1994-95 | none |
| 1993-94 | Florida State (20) |
| 1992-93 | Mt. St. Mary's (23), Winthrop (23) |
DEACS IN THE "O-DOME" - The Demon Deacon overall record in Lawrence Joel Coliseum since the facility opened for the 1989-90 season is an excellent 127-29 (81.4% winning pct).
After winning just one league game in Joel in its inaugural campaign (1989-90), Wake Forest has won nearly 75% of its conference games (53-18) on its homecourt since 1990. North Carolina is the only ACC visitor to post a winning record in Joel Coliseum.
Wake's record in Joel includes an outstanding 73-5 mark against non-ACC foes. Non-conference losses suffered by the Deacons in Joel Coliseum have come to Colorado in January of 1991, California in December of 1993, Utah and Vanderbilt (in the NIT) during the 97-98 season, and Arkansas last year.
TOP HALF OF ACC - With a victory over NC State in its final regular season contest, Wake Forest claimed undisputed possession of 4th place in the final league standings for the 1999 campaign. The Demon Deacons have now finished in the top half of the ACC regular season standings (4th place or higher including ties) seven consecutive years.
ACC SUCCESS - Since dropping their first 11 league contests and finishing with a 3-11 mark in the league in 1990, the Demon Deacons under head coach Dave Odom have achieved winning records against seven of their eight ACC foes, with only North Carolina holding an advantage over the Deacs the past nine years.
NINE STRAIGHT POSTSEASON TRIPS - The Demon Deacons made a ninth straight postseason appearance with their participation in the 1999 NIT. That streak of nine straight postseason trips ranks second among ACC schools, seven of which took part in either the NCAA Tournament or NIT last year.
Consecutive Postseason Appearances by ACC Schools
| North Carolina | 33 |
| WAKE FOREST | 9 |
| Clemson | 7 |
| Maryland | 6 |
| Duke | 4 |
| NC State | 3 |
| Georgia Tech | 2 |
The Wake Forest Record When...
| At Home | 6-0 |
| On Opponent Court | 1-0 |
| On Neutral Court | 0-1 |
| Leading at Halftime | 6-1 |
| Trailing at Halftime | 0-0 |
| Leading with 10:00 Left | 6-1 |
| Trailing with 10:00 Left | 0-0 |
| Final Margin Fewer than 5 Pts | 0-1 |
| Final Margin 5-to-9 Pts | 2-0 |
| Final Margin in Double Figures | 5-0 |
| WF Scores 80+ Pts | 3-0 |
| WF Scores 70+ Pts | 3-0 |
| WF Scores Under 60 Pts | 0-0 |
| WF Shoots 50%+ | 4-0 |
| WF Shoots Under 50% | 3-1 |
| Opponent Shoots 50%+ | 0-1 |
| WF Atts More FTs than Opp | 6-0 |
| WF Out-Rebounds Opp | 7-0 |
| Opp Out-Rebounds WF | 0-1 |