Wake Forest Athletics
Deacons Battle Hokies
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
December 11, 1998
WAKE FOREST (6-2) at VIRGINIA TECH (3-2)
December 12, 1998 -- 7:00 -- Cassell Coliseum
After an extended break from competition during Wake Forest's semester exam period, the Demon Deacons return to action here tonight against the Hokies. The Deacs have been idle since suffering a 92-69 defeat at nationally 2nd-ranked Maryland on December 3rd, a loss that ended a five-game winning streak for Coach Dave Odom's squad.
PROBABLE DEMON DEACON LINEUP
No. Name Pos. Ht. Cl. Key Statistics (*leads team) Career Starts (98-99)
3 Broderick Hicks G 6'1 Fr. 6.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 16 asts, 53.8 FG%* 3 (3)
4 Robert O'Kelley G 6'1 So. 15.4 ppg*, 1.9 rpg, 19 asts* 27 (8)
25 Darius Songaila F/C 6'9 Fr. 10.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 8 blks*, 10 steals*, 53.8 FG% 6 (6)
44 Josh Shoemaker F 6'9 So. 5.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg*, 54.8 FG%* 21 (4)
11 Joseph Amonett F 6'5 Sr. 4.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg 13 (3)
TOP RESERVES
10 Jim Fitzpatrick G 6'0 Jr. 1.3 ppg, 1.4 rpg 1 (1)
42 Craig Dawson G/F 6'5 Fr. 8.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 53.3 FG%, 53.3% on 3pters* 1 (1)
41 Rafael Vidaurreta C 6'8 So. 4.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg 27 (6)
34 Antwan Scott F/C 6'8 Fr. 7.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg 0
31 Ervin Murray F 6'5 Fr. 2.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg 0
HEAD COACH - Dave Odom
10th year at Wake Forest: Won 188, Lost 95
13th year overall: Won 226, Lost 137
THE LINEUP - The Demon Deacons have utilized seven different starting lineups the past seven games. Ten different Deacs have started at least one contest with ROBERT O'KELLEY the only player who has started all eight games.
Two individuals who have been a part of the starting lineup during the first month of the season, however, are no longer available. Forward NIKI ARINZE, whose 28 career starts (24 last year; 4 this season) are the most for any current player, will miss the remainder of the 1998-99 campaign due to a shoulder injury. The 6 '5 sophomore is scheduled to undergo surgery next week and will be redshirted. Sophomore guard JAMES GRIFFIN, a starter in four outings this season, has decided to transfer and is no longer a member of the team.
THE HEAD COACH - Now in his 10th season at Wake Forest, DAVE ODOM has built the Demon Deacon program into one of the best in the nation. The Deacs made seven consecutive NCAA appearances from 1991 through 1997, then extended their string of postseason tourneys to eight in a row by taking part in the NIT last March.
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 nearly 70% of their games, averaging 21 wins per season over the last eight 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.
BUSY HOLIDAY SCHEDULE - After tonight's contest, the Demon Deacons will have three home dates in an eight-day period, beginning with a visit to Joel Coliseum by Coastal Carolina next Wednesday (7:30). East Tennessee State comes to Winston-Salem one week from tonight (7:30), then Wake Forest hosts the Arkansas Razorbacks on December 23rd in a nationally televised game (7:30 / ESPN).
ARINZE OUT FOR SEASON - Sophomore forward NIKI ARINZE has been lost for the season due to a shoulder injury. Arinze dislocated his left shoulder on October 26th during preseason practice. After three weeks of rehabilitation (and two missed games in New York), he returned to action and was a starter in four of five contests.
The 6'5 Nashville product re-injured the shoulder on November 30th in the first half of Wake Forest's win at VMI. He will undergo arthroscopic surgery on the shoulder next week. Rehab from the surgery will be several months, but Arinze is expected to be fully recovered by next fall.
Having played in only five regular season contests, Arinze should qualify for a medical hardship ruling and not lose a year of eligibility. Wake Forest will make that appeal following the season.
GRIFFIN DECIDES TO TRANSFER - Wake Forest sophomore James Griffin has decided to leave the university and will transfer to another school, Demon Deacon head basketball coach Dave Odom Thursday.
Griffin, a 6'2 guard from Greenville, SC, had appeared in all eight games this season, starting four times and scoring a total of 28 points (3.5 per game). His single game high was eight points in Wake Forest's win at VMI on November 30th.
Last year as a freshman, Griffin played in 24 contests, averaging 2.3 points per game. He started two games (at NC State and at Clemson) last February when Wake Forest made history by being the first ACC team to start five freshmen in a game.
"I was surprised and disappointed with James' decision and the fact that he made the decision without discussing his situation with me in advance," Odom said.
"In the final analysis, though, everyone must make certain decisions on what is best for them, and if this is indeed James' decision, then there is nothing for us to do but wish him well in the future."
THE SERIES WITH VIRGINIA TECH - At one time Wake Forest and Virginia Tech were quite frequent opponents, playing at least once every year from 1961 through 1978. Since then, however, the two schools have gotten together only three times, including just one meeting during the 1990s. That was a 1997 date (1/28/97) in Winston-Salem which the Deacons won, 61-44.
Wake Forest leads the overall series with the Hokies, 23-20. That includes a December 1986 contest in Roanoke that was actually won by Tech (76-68), but later forfeited to WFU because of an ineligible player.
The Demon Deacons have not played in Blacksburg since the 1977-78 season (2/18/78) when they came away with an 88-74 victory.
NOTING THE DEMON DEACONS
TIME SHARING - Nine Deacon players currently are averaging double figures in minutes played per game (a figure that was as high as 11 before the loss of Arinze and Griffin's departure). ROBERT O'KELLEY (31.6 mins per game) has seen the most court time, but no other Deacon is playing more than 24 minutes per game.
BALANCED ATTACK - Six different Deacons have scored in double figures this season, but only two (ROBERT O'KELLEY & DARIUS SONGAILA) are averaging more than 10 points per contest.
O'Kelley has reached double digits in six games and leads the team in overall at 15.4 ppg. He has been the team's leading scorer in six of eight dates and now has scored in double figures in 30 of his last 33 games dating back to last season. SONGAILA has been in double digits in five of the last six games and is averaging an even 10.6 ppg. His 15 points topped the WFU attack in the Deacs' most recent outing at Maryland.
Double Digit Deacons
Scoring Rebounding Craig DAWSON two times Broderick HICKS three times Robert O'KELLEY six times; 30 of last 33 overall Antwan SCOTT two times Josh SHOEMAKER once (at VMI) Darius SONGAILA five times in last six games two times Rafael VIDAURRETA two timesPLAYING FROM BEHIND - Wake Forest has trailed in the second half of seven games, including five of its six wins. In three victories (Mercer, William & Mary and Davidson), the Deacs were behind at halftime. The largest deficit that they have overcome to date was 13 points (27-14) in the first half against Davidson.
The youthful squad first displayed its comeback ability in the very first game this season when Wake trailed Illinois by five points (61-56) with 2:18 remaining in regulation time, and by six (70-64) with 2:32 left in overtime before rallying for the win.
BOTH LOSSES TO TOP TEN - Both Wake Forest losses this season have come to teams ranked in the national Top Ten at the time of the game. Temple was #7 when it defeated the Demon Deacons in the "Coaches vs Cancer Classic" in New York. Maryland was rated #2 when the Deacs lost in College Park last week. Wake has yet to defeat a nationally ranked opponent this season.
FOUR CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS - Wake Forest has, however, defeated three of the four defending conference champions it has met this season. Those three wins over '98 league winners include victories against Davidson (Southern Conference champions), Illinois (co-champs of Big Ten), and William & Mary (Colonial regular season co-champs). Wake has lost to Temple, champs of the Atlantic 10 East Division a year ago.
SHOT TALK - Wake Forest has yet to shoot 50% from the floor in a game this season but has not been below 40% in any outing either. Wake's 40.0 field goal percentage in its season-opening win over Illinois is its lowest FG% mark of the year. A 49.1% effort in an 82-45 win over UNC Greensboro is its best.
The Demon Deacons have not been as consistent, though, from the free throw line where they are hitting only 63.5% on the year. In half their games (four), the Deacs have shot below 60% at the charity stripe. Fresh-man CRAIG DAWSON, who has made all six of his free throw tries, and backup guard JIM FITZPATRICK, who has made 3 of 4 at the line, are the only individuals shooting better than 71%.
From three-point range, the Deacons again have been somewhat inconsistent. In two games, Wake has made over 50% of its three-pointers (8-15 vs UNCG; 9-16 at VMI), yet overall the team is hitting 35.8%, having made 33% or less of its "3s" in five of eight outings. Dawson, though, has been a bright spot in this area. The freshman from Kinston, NC, leads the ACC in three-point shooting at 53.3% and has made at least one three-pointer in every game.
FRESHMEN DOING FINE - Wake Forest's five freshmen are shooting the ball very well. Four of the five first-year players are hitting better than 50% from the floor, with only ANTWAN SCOTT (at a still respectable 48.8%) below that mark.
THREE-POINT STREAK - Wake Forest has made at least one three-point field goal in 207 consecutive games. The last time that Wake did not make a three-pointer was in a 1992 homecourt victory over Tulane.
DEFENSIVE DEACS - Wake Forest has forced 18-or-more turnovers in five of its eight games and more than 20 opposition turnovers in three contests. Last year, Demon Deacon opponents made more than 20 turnovers only two times the entire season and averaged 12.6 turnovers per game.
