Wake Forest Athletics
Men's Basketball Hosts UNC Wilmington in NIT
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 10, 1998
March 12, 1998 - 7:30 - Lawrence Joel Coliseum
Wake Forest takes part in the National Invitation Tournament for the first time since 1985, and makes its eight straight postseason appearance, as its entertains the Seahawks of UNC Wilmington here tonight. The Demon Deacons, 15-13, have been in seven consecutive NCAA tournaments until having that streak (the 7th-longest in the nation) ended this year. Wake tied for 4th (with a 7-9 record) in ACC regular season play.
UNC Wilmington, under former Wake Forest assistant coach Jerry Wainwright, is making its first-ever postseason trip. The Seahawks are 20-10 and finished as regular season co-champs of the Colonial Athletic Association (with William & Mary), but lost in the CAA Tournament finals to Richmond.
PROBABLE DEMON DEACON LINEUP
Career
No. Name Pos. Ht. Cl. 97-98 Key Statistics (*leads team) Starts
20 Niki Arinze F 6'5 Fr. 7.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 24 stls*, 73 off.rebs* 22
44 Josh Shoemaker F/C 6'9 Fr. 3.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg 15
41 Rafael Vidaurreta F/C 6'8 Fr. 4.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg 19
30 Tony Rutland G 6'2 Sr. 12.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 86 asts*, 78.5 FT%., 39.5 3pt% 80
4 Robert O'Kelley G 6'1 Fr. 16.7 ppg*, 2.1 rpg, 81.2 FT%*., 42.0 3pt%* 17
TOP RESERVES
11 Joseph Amonett G/F 6'5 Jr. 2.4 ppg, 0.8 rpg 10
25 Jerry Braswell G 6'1 Sr. 3.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg 72
5 Steven Goolsby F 6'4 Sr. 8.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 38.9 3pt% 13
13 Loren Woods C 7'1 So. 9.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg*, 50 blocks* 25
HEAD COACH - Dave Odom (9th year at Wake Forest) / Won 181, Lost 92
(12th year overall) / Won 219, Lost 134
THE HEAD COACH - The ACC Coach of the Year three times in the 1990s (1991, 1994, 1995), DAVE ODOM is in his ninth season at Wake Forest, having built the Demon Deacon program into one of the most highly regarded in the country. The Deacs have won 20-or-more games five straight seasons under Odom and had appeared in seven consecutive NCAA Tournaments until 1998.
Odom's winning percentage at Wake Forest is an impressive 67%. The last five years, the Deacons have averaged 23 victories per season under Odom's guidance, finished no lower than third in the ACC regular season race, and reached the NCAA "Sweet 16" three times, including the Midwest Regional finals in 1996.
THE LINEUP - Wake Forest has used 12 different starting lineups this season with freshmen playing a key role on the starting five since mid-January. Three rookies had started on a couple of occasions early in the year, then on January 17th versus Maryland, Coach Dave Odom went with four freshman starters (the lineup listed above) for the first time. Wake became the first team in ACC history to start five freshmen on February 4th at N.C.State and kept that same lineup at Clemson the following game, but has returned to only four first-year players as starters ever since.
No player has started every game. The team leaders in starts are freshman NIKI ARINZE and veteran TONY RUTLAND with 22 starts each. The longest current string of consecutive starts is 18 by freshman RAFAEL VIDAURRETA. He is the only Deac who started all 16 ACC regular season contests.
Wake Forest in the NIT
THIRD TIME FOR DEACS - Wake Forest played in the 1983 and 1985 NIT events, experiencing both success and early round disappointment. In '83, the Demon Deacons won three games to advance to New York for the national semi-finals where they lost to eventual champion Fresno State. Two years later, though, the Deacs were eliminated in the first round, suffering a loss at South Florida.
Overall then, Wake Forest has compiled a 3-2 record in NIT competition.
1983 NIT 1985 NIT at Murray State W 87-80 at South Florida L 66-77 at Vanderbilt W 75-68 South Carolina* W 78-61 Fresno State (@MSG) L 62-86 *at Greensboro Coliseum
FIRST TIME IN WINSTON-SALEM - The meeting between Wake Forest and UNC Wilmington is the first NIT game ever to be played in Winston-Salem. In the 1983 tournament, the Demon Deacons hosted South Carolina in the third round, but that game was played in the Greensboro Coliseum, which was Wake Forest's home arena for most ACC games during the 1980s until the completion of Joel Coliseum in 1989.
LAST GAME FOR TACY - Wake Forest's last NIT appearance marked the conclusion of the coaching career of Carl Tacy, who compiled an excellent 222-149 record as the Demon Deacon head coach from 1973 through 1985. The Deacons lost at South Florida, 77-66, to close their 1985 campaign with a 15-14 record. Tacy then resigned four months later in July of '85 after 13 seasons at the WFU helm and as the second-winningest coach in school history (Murray Greason is 1st with 288 victories).
Demon Deacons vs. UNC Wilmington
THE SERIES - Wake Forest has not lost to UNC Wilmington in eight previous meetings, but the two schools have not met since December of 1989. Four of the contests between the Demon Deacons and Seahawks, including three of the last four, have been decided by five points or fewer.
The first series matchup occurred in Wilmington as the 1977-78 season opener for both squads. Wake was coming off an outstanding 1977 season in which it advanced to the NCAA regional finals and served as the guest opponent for UNCW's inaugural game in Trask Coliseum. The Deacs needed 22 points from All-American Rod Griffin that night to come away with a four-point (83-79) win.
Since that initial get-together, the Deacons have hosted the Seahawks in six of seven games. Wake's only other appearance in Wilmington came in the 1988-89 season.
UNCW has played here in Lawrence Joel Coliseum only once, however. That was the last time the two teams met in the 89-90 campaign (Dave Odom's first at Wake Forest). All other Seahawk games in Winston-Salem took place in old Memorial Coliseum.
1977-78 WF 83, @UNCW 79 1984-85 @WF 91, UNCW 71 1987-88 @WF 61, UNCW 58 1981-82 @WF 98, UNCW 72 1986-87 @WF 57, UNCW 56 1988-89 WF 72, @UNCW 61 1983-84 @WF 64, UNCW 50 1989-90 @WF 61, UNCW 56
LOOKING AHEAD - The winner of tonight's game between Wake Forest and UNC Wilmington will meet the winner of yesterday's St. Bonaventure at Vanderbilt contest. That matchup will take place on either March 16 or 17 (Monday or Tuesday) at a site to be determined.
This evening's game actually concludes the first round of the 1998 NIT. All 15 other opening round contests were played last night (an updated bracket is available in the Media Room tonight).
Noting the Demon Deacons
WAKE A WINNER VS POSTSEASON FIELD - Wake Forest has a winning record against the teams selected for the 1998 NCAA and NIT tournaments. The Demon Deacons were 8-9 versus the NCAA field, and 4-2 in competition with four other NIT participants, leaving them with an overall ledger of 12-11.
Six of those 11 losses came to "Top Ten" teams--two to both #1 North Carolina and #3 Duke, and one each to #7 Utah and #8 Princeton.
Deacs vs NIT Teams (4-2) Deacs vs NCAA Teams (8-9)
Georgetown (1-0) Clemson (1-2) North Carolina (0-2)
Georgia Tech (0-2) Davidson (1-0) Princeton (0-1)
Missouri (1-0) Duke (0-2) Radford (1-0)
N.C.State (2-0) Florida State (1-1) Richmond (1-0)
Maryland (2-0) Utah (0-1)
Navy (1-0)
NATION'S SECOND-TOUGHEST SCHEDULE - The "RPI Index" (as compiled by Collegiate Basketball News) credits Wake Forest with having played the 2nd-most difficult schedule in America this season. Only Maryland's 97-98 schedule is considered tougher in that ranking.
NON-ACC SLATE DEMANDING, TOO - The Demon Deacons have faced a difficult array of non-ACC opponents as well this season. In addition to Top Ten teams Utah and Princeton, Wake Forest played (and defeated) four teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament by winning their respective league titles--Davidson (Southern), Navy (Patriot), Radford (Big South) and Richmond (Colonial).
The RPI Index ranks Wake's non-conference schedule as the 18th-most difficult in the country.
DEACS IN THE NATIONAL POLLS - After being nationally ranked for four consecutive weeks, Wake Forest dropped out of both major polls following losses to Marshall (December 17) and Princeton (December 19). The Demon Deacons had appeared in 54 consecutive Associated Press polls prior to being unranked at the beginning of the 97-98 campaign.
Wake Forest in the National Rankings
Pre Nov.16 23 Dec.1 8 15 22
Associated Press nr nr nr 24 25 23 nr
USA Today/CNN nr nr 24 24 24 22 nr
ACC WIN STREAK ENDS AT FIVE STRAIGHT YEARS - Wake Forest had enjoyed five straight winning seasons in ACC play before finishing 7-9 against league opponents this year. The last time that the Demon Deacons did not have a winning record in the league was 1992 (also 7-9).
The Deacs still finished 4th in the conference regular season race (actually, tied for 4th with Clemson). They are only the second ACC team to be that high in the league standings and not be invited to the NCAA Tournament since the NCAA expanded its field to 64 teams in 1985 (Virginia was the other in 1992).
NCAA STREAK ENDS, TOO - Wake Forest had appeared in seven straight NCAA Tournaments, the seventh-longest active streak in the nation and second-longest (to North Carolina) in the ACC, until not being selected for that event this season.
Consecutive NCAA Appearances (prior to 1998) North Carolina 23 Arizona 13 Indiana 12 UCLA 9 Kansas 8 Temple 8 WAKE FOREST 7
ACC SUCCESS - Since dropping its 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 ACC foes, with only North Carolina holding an advantage over the Deacs the past eight years.
Wake Forest in the ACC
CLEM DUKE FSU GATECH MD UNC NCST UVA
Last Five Years 8-4 8-3 8-3 7-5 6-4 5-8 8-2 9-3
Last Eight Years 13-5 11-6 8-7 10-8 10-6 6-14 13-3 13-7
A WINNING CLASS - Wake Forest's three seniors--guards TONY RUTLAND and JERRY BRASWELL and forward STEVEN GOOLSBY--have helped the Demon Deacons compile an excellent 89-32 record the past four years. They have taken part in two ACC Championships (1995 & 1996) and were active members of last year's squad that was ranked 2nd in the nation--the highest ranking ever attained by a Wake Forest team.
RUTLAND RANKS #2 IN WINS - Deacon senior TONY RUTLAND has participated in all 89 of the Wake Forest wins the past four years, placing him second on the school's all-time victory list. The only player who appeared in more wins as a Demon Deacon is Tim Duncan, who took part in 97 "Ws" during his four seasons.
Prior to Duncan, former guard Danny Young had held the school record, playing in 85 WFU wins during his career (1981-84).
RUTLAND ON THE WFU CAREER CHARTS - Demon Deacon senior TONY RUTLAND became the 37th player in Wake Forest history to score 1,000 points earlier this season, surpassing that figure against Princeton, and now has 1,239 points in his career to rank 21st on the all-time WFU chart.
Rutland is now a member of the WFU all-time "Top Twenty" in scoring. He presently is tied with Jack Murdock for 20th on the school's career points list with 1,239. Kenny Green is 19th with 1,252. The 18th-leading scorer at Wake Forest is Billy Packer with 1,316 points.
Rutland also is only the 7th player in school history to total more than 300 assists. He ranks 7th in that department with 349, while also standing 9th in career steals with 130.
Rutland has also performed well in the classroom in his senior year, earning Dean's List honors for the fall semester. He, along with fellow-seniors JERRY BRASWELL and STEVEN GOOLSBY, are on schedule to graduate this May after four years at WFU.
BEST FOR LAST - Wake Forest senior TONY RUTLAND scored a career-high 28 points in his final regular season home game in Joel Coliseum on March 1st against N.C.State. hitting 8-of-11 shots, including 5-of-7 three-point tries.
Rutland's backcourt senior running mate JERRY BRASWELL also turned in an emotional last-game effort, scoring 16 points in the win over the Wolfpack. In 15 previous ACC games this season, Braswell had scored a total of just 14 points.
SENIOR SIXTH MAN - Wake's other senior, forward STEVEN GOOLSBY, has done his most damage coming off the Deacon bench this year.
Goolsby has 12 double-figure scoring games this season--nine of those coming when he did not start. His career-high of 19 points came in a reserve role versus North Carolina on January 31st. Prior to the N.C.State game this past Sunday, he had reached double figures in three straight outings as a reserve--13 points in a win at Maryland; 15 in a victory over Florida State; and a team-high 11 at North Carolina.
WOODS MISSES SEVEN-GAMES - Sophomore center LOREN WOODS started the first 14 games this season and ranked among ACC leaders in blocked shots (2nd) and rebounding (4th), but was given an indefinite leave of absence from the team on January 16th by head coach Dave Odom. After missing seven games, he returned against Georgia Tech on February 11th and has appeared in all five games since then in a reserve role.
"Loren needs some time away from basketball," Odom said in January. "The amount of pressure that he places on himself regarding his own performance and our team's performance is, I believe, unhealthy. The best way to relieve that pressure is to give him some time away from the game in the hope that he will understand that basketball is not an all-or-nothing proposition."
Woods averaged 11.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in this year's first 14 contests. In seven games since returning, he has scored 32 points (4.6 ppg) and grabbed 34 rebounds (4.9 rpg) in limited duty.
FRESHMAN FACTS - For the season, Wake Forest's freshman class has accounted for 51% of the Demon Deacon points and 60% of the squad's rebounds while participating in 53% of the total minutes played.
A freshman has been the leading scorer (or tied for the lead in points) for the Demon Deacons 19 times. ROBERT O'KELLEY has been the Deacs' leading scorer 18 times, including 11 of the last 14 contests. NIKI ARINZE topped the Deacon point total with 15 against Princeton.
A first-year player has also been the leading rebounder (or tied for that distinction) in 20 dates. RAFAEL VIDAURRETA has led the team in rebounding nine times, while NIKI ARINZE has topped the WFU rebounding chart on seven occasions. JOSH SHOEMAKER was the Deacs' leading rebounder in both wins over Maryland and in the regular season finale victory against N.C.State.
DEACON FROSH MAKE ACC HISTORY - Wake Forest became the first team in ACC history to start five freshman when Coach Dave Odom went with that lineup on February 4th at N.C.State (and again at Clemson three days later).
Records indicate that prior to the current Demon Deacon squad, three ACC teams started four freshmen. The first was another Wake Forest team in 1979. Those four rookies were guard Mike Helms, center Jim Johnstone, and forwards Alvis Rogers and Guy Morgan, who joined veteran guard Frank Johnson in the lineup for much of the season. Johnstone and Rogers each started 24 games that year; Morgan started 16 and Helms 12.
The 1983 Duke squad started four freshmen (Mark Alarie, Jay Bilas, Johnny Dawkins, David Henderson), as did Clemson two years ago--a group that included current Tigers Terrell McIntyre, Tom Wideman, Harold Jamison and Tony Christie.
MORE ACC FRESHMAN FACTS - The highest scoring freshman class ever in the ACC was that '83 Duke crew, which along with a couple of lesser known classmates scored 1,481 points. Overall, five freshman classes have scored at least 1,000 points--including Wake Forest's 1979 group (1,029 pts) and the outstanding Deacon freshmen of 1991 (1,040), a class that featured Rodney Rogers and Randolph Childress.
Clemson's 1996 frosh had more rebounds (647) than any other freshman class in the ACC recordbook.
How do the 1998 Wake Forest freshmen compare? They have presently scored 947 points and grabbed 542 rebounds, so they likely won't reach those impressive numbers, but could still surpass both the 1,000-point and 500-rebound marks. Four previous freshman classes have reached that 1,000/500 level ('79 Wake, '83 GaTech, '83 Duke, '96 Clemson). (Thanks to Clemson SID Tim Bourret for his research assistance.)
O'KELLEY LEADS WITH FOUR WEEKLY AWARDS - Wake Forest freshman guard ROBERT O'KELLEY was named "ACC Rookie of the Week" a league-high four times this season, including three times during the ACC portion of the 1997-98 schedule (since January 6th).
The Deacon standout first was named the "Rookie of the Week" in November after a 25-point outing which included the game-winning basket in a win over Georgetown, then again following a January 4th meeting with Virginia when he netted 29 points. His third weekly award came after he scored 20 points in a win over Virginia and 25 in a the Deacs' first meeting with North Carolina. He added a fourth after leading the Deacs to wins at Maryland (with 31 points) and against Florida State (26 points).
NIKI ARINZE also received one "Rookie of the Week" honor on January 19th after recording his first career "double-double" (16 pts/10 rebs) in a win over Maryland.
O'KELLEY NAMED FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN - Demon Deacon ROBERT O'KELLEY was named to the 1998 "Freshman All-America" 1st team selected by Basketball Times magazine.
O'Kelley joined Khalid El-Amin (Uconn), Baron Davis (UCLA), Larry Hughes (Saint Louis) and Marcus Fizer (Iowa State) on the the top five. Duke's Shane Battier and Georgia Tech's Dion Glover were 2nd-team picks, while Blue Devil Elton Brand was named to the 3rd team.
FIRST AMONG FRESHMEN - ROBERT O'KELLEY is averaging 16.7 points per game--the highest by a Wake Forest freshman in 45 seasons (since the formation of the ACC). Rodney Rogers has the top freshman scoring mark of modern times at 16.3 ppg in 1990-91. Rogers is also the last Wake freshman to lead the team in scoring. Dick Hemric owns the overall school record for scoring as a freshman at 22.4 ppg in 1952.
Top Wake Forest Freshman Scorers (double figures since 1953) ROBERT O'KELLEY (1998)............................16.7 ppg Rodney Rogers* (1991) 16.3 ppg Alvis Rogers (1979) 13.5 ppg Chris King* (1989) 14.4 Skip Brown (1974) 13.2 Randolph Childress 14.0 Sam Ivy (1987) 13.2 Rod Griffin (1975) 13.9 Frank Johnson (1977) 11.6 *team leader in scoring
ACC LEADERS - Freshman ROBERT O'KELLEY ranks among the ACC's top seven individuals in four categories. He is 2nd three-point production (2.5 per game), 3rd in three-point accuracy (42.0%), 4th in free throw accuracy (81.2%) and 7th in scoring (16.7 ppg).
In addition to O'Kelley, two other Deacs are among the conference's most productive three-point shooters--TONY RUTLAND is 5th (2.3 per game) and STEVEN GOOLSBY is 8th (1.8 per game). That duo also are among the leaders in three-point percentage--Rutland 7th (39.5%) and Goolsby 9th (38.9%). Rutland also is among the top ten (10th) in assists, averaging 3.3 per contest.
LOREN WOODS is ranked 2nd in the ACC in blocks (2.4 per game) and 4th in rebounding (7.3 rpg), but as noted earlier, he built those figures for the most part during the first half of the season.
DEACONS SHUT OUT ON ALL-ACC SELECTIONS - Wake Forest did not have any individuals receive All-ACC recognition when the three all-conference teams were announced earlier this week. This marks the first time since 1990 that the Demon Deacons have not had an All-ACC representative.
Freshman ROBERT O'KELLEY came close to being chosen for the all-league 3rd team. O'Kelley totaled 74 points in voting by the Atlantic Coast Sports Writers Association membership. Maryland's Rodney Elliott totaled 80 points, the lowest figure for a 3rd-team member.
O'Kelley was, however, selected to the ACC All-Freshman team.
DEACS IN DOUBLE FIGURES - Ten Deacons have scored in double figures at least once this season and six have done so at least three times. Freshman ROBERT O'KELLEY tops the team with 25 double-digit scoring outings, including 22 of the last 23 games. O'Kelley's streak of 21 consecutive games in double figures was ended when he totaled only 5 points in the regular season finale versus N.C.State.
Double Digit Deacons
Scoring Rebounding
Joseph AMONETT once (Richmond)
Niki ARINZE seven times; none in last seven games three times
Jerry BRASWELL four times (first three games & NCState)
Steven GOOLSBY 12 times
James GRIFFIN once (Radford)
Robert O'KELLEY 25 times; 22 of last 23
Tony RUTLAND 16 times; three of last five games
Josh SHOEMAKER once (Radford) once (Maryland)
Rafael VIDAURRETA three times three times
Loren WOODS seven times--all in first 12 games four times
AT THE HALF - Wake Forest has led at halftime in 21 of its 28 games this season, but is only 15-6 in those 21 contests. The Demon Deacons even led #1-ranked North Carolina at the half in both regular season meetings with the Tar Heels, but could not sustain those advantages.
The Deacons are 0-6 when they have trailed at the half.
OFFENSIVE NUMBERS - Wake Forest has averaged just 66.1 points per game this season. That's the lowest output by a Demon Deacon club since 1986 when an 8-21 WFU team scored onl6 59.8 ppg. The current figure is also the second-lowest (to 1986) at the school in the last 39 years (since 1958).
The lack of scoring coincides with the poorest field goal percentage (40.5%) in the ACC. This year's squad is almost assured of posting the lowest shooting percentage by a Deacon team since 1958 (40.2%). Only one other time since that '58 season has a Wake club been below 43% from the floor (41.1% in 1968).
For the season, the Deacons have shot better than 46% from the floor only five times and are 5-0 in those contests. They have gone 16 straight games without shooting 50%--the last time coming in a win here in Joel Coliseum over Clemson on January 8th (a season-best 54.1%).
HERE IN THE "O-DOME" - Now in its ninth year in Lawrence Joel Coliseum, Wake Forest has compiled an excellent 107-25 record (81% winning pct) in this building. That mark includes a 59-3 record against non-ACC foes, as well as a solid record of success the past seven years versus conference opponents.
After winning just one league game here in Joel in its inaugural campaign (1989-90), Wake Forest has gone 47-16 in the ACC on its homecourt since 1990, including 25 wins in its last 32 league games beginning in 1995.
Deacon Homecourt Advantage - Record in Joel Coliseum
Non-ACC ACC Overall Record
1989-90 7-0 1-6 8-6
1990-91 7-1 6-1 13-2
1991-92 8-0 5-3 13-3
1992-93 7-0 5-3 12-3
1993-94 7-1 6-2 13-3
1994-95 5-0 7-1 12-1
1995-96 6-0 8-0 14-0
1996-97 6-0 5-3 11-3
1997-98 6-1 5-3 11-4
Overall 59-3 48-22 107-25
THIS YEAR'S HOME LOSSES - Wake Forest has lost on its homecourt this season to #1 North Carolina (79-73 on January 31), #3 Duke (88-52 on January 14), and #7 Utah (62-53 on December 6). The Deacs' only home loss to a non-ranked opponent came on February 11th versus Georgia Tech, a game that saw Wake Forest make only 11 of 25 free throws in a one-point (77-76) defeat.
