Tampa subregional

Both teams lean on the freshmen

TAMPA -- It's not like Wake Forest and East Tennessee State don't have seniors.

They do.

Demon Deacons forward Josh Howard was the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year, and Buccaneers guard Ryan Lawson is a valuable reserve.

But make no mistake. These teams would not be coming to the St. Pete Times Forum for the NCAA Tournament if not for their freshmen.

Center Eric Williams starts for Wake and averages 8.4 points and 4.1 rebounds. Guard Justin Gray started before breaking his jaw and now is a sixth man (12.1 points, 3.5 rebounds), forward Chris Ellis brings needed size and bulk (6 feet 8, 250 pounds) off the bench and guard Trent Strickland is a tenacious defender. "The freshmen have been playing well for us the whole season," Wake Forest sophomore guard Taron Downey said. "I don't think that will change just because we're in the NCAA Tournament. I don't expect anything less from them now."

Ditto for the Buccaneers' top freshmen, guards Tim Smith and Ben Rhoda, and 6-9, 245-pound forward Brad Nuckles.

Smith averages 15.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He was the MVP of the Southern Conference tournament.

Rhoda averages 8.8 points and 3.0 rebounds. Nuckles has provided quality depth inside and averages 5.6 points and 4.2 rebounds. "This is what I expected; this is one of the reasons I came here," Nuckles said of helping the team reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1992. ADDED HELP?: Wake Forest fifth-year senior Steve Lepore, who aggravated his surgically repaired left knee, has played two minutes in the past 10 games.

But the Northwestern transfer could be available this weekend.

"It'll depend on how the knee feels; it's a coach's decision," he told the Greensboro (N.C.) News & Record. COMMON OPPONENT: The Buccaneers and Demon Deacons share a common opponent, Virginia.

The Bucs lost at Charlottesville 84-76 on Dec. 17. Wake lost at Virginia 85-75 on Jan. 23 and beat the Cavaliers in Winston-Salem 75-71 on Feb. 23. GOOD HANDS: East Tennessee State is second in the nation in steals, averaging 11.4.

Junior forward Zakee Wadood leads the team with 86 (3.1 average), fourth nationally.

"He's a thief, and they have several thieves," Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser told the News & Record.

CAROLINA IN THE SUNSHINE: More Wake Forest undergraduates come from Florida than any state other than North Carolina and Virginia. The school says more than 600 alumni live in the Tampa Bay area.

Wake Forest Quotebook

Freshman guard Trent Strickland on bouncing back from the North Carolina State loss on Saturday:

"(That) is in the past. There's nothing we can do about it but move on and learn from what we did wrong. We're not worried about it. Josh (Howard), like all the other great players, has days where he's off and others when he is on. That was just one of the days he was off. But I think he'll come back strong."

Coach Skip Prosser:

"With (ETSU's Tim) Smith, you have to have an A, B and C. You have to have a couple of plans because with a steady diet of one thing, he has already seen it."

Prosser on the need for freshman center Eric Williams to stay out of foul trouble for a change:

"It's hard to guard and score and rebound when you're sitting over there talking with me. We're going to run him out there and see how effective he can be. But again, it's imperative he stays on the floor."

Williams on his tendency to pick up fouls:

"My size is what the refs look at. If (opponents) take a step back or if they flop, it's instinct to call it. Once they called a foul before I had the ball in my hand."

East Tennessee State Quotebook

Coach Ed DeChellis on Wake Forest losing its last game:

"I don't think it will bother Skip's team. I called him Saturday night and told him it could be a blessing after winning so many games in a row. Losing might make his kids more hungry."

DeChellis on scouting the Demon Deacons:

"We were hoping to find some things we could use: what has happened when they've lost, who has done what. The stat that sticks out to me is that they've made more free throws in the ACC than opponents have shot. That's a great stat to have. They're an outstanding rebounding team that gets to the glass and gets to the foul line."

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