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Tampa subregional
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 21, 2003
1. WATCH THE 3s: While the Buccaneers are the sixth-best scoring team in Division I, they also are one of the worst at guarding outside shots, especially 3-pointers. The Bucs have given up an average of 75.2 points, and against Wake Forest's defense, they'll have a tough time outscoring that average.
2. REBOUND: In other words, crash Josh Howard. Granted, that's no easy task, but the Bucs need to put forwards Zakee Wadood and Jerald Fields wherever Howard is, especially when he's under the basket. Howard's astounding career totals in points and steals are matched by his amazing number of rebounds: more than 500.
3. ATTRACT FOULS: If there's one thing the Bucs can do, it's capitalize on free throws. They shoot 73 percent, which has made the difference in several of their close games. And this one likely will be close. Their best free-throw shooter, guard Ryan Lawson, is 94 percent this season.
4. LIMIT TURNOVERS: Turnovers have been a slight weak spot for the Bucs, and against the Demon Deacons, that weakness can turn into a severe handicap. The Bucs need to slow it down when things get hairy, especially when Howard is in the vicinity, to avoid trouble.
5. GO FOR THE STEAL: When Wake Forest center Eric Williams or guard Taron Downey is dribbling the ball, go after it. Wadood averages 3.1 steals and he needs to uphold or surpass that. If the Bucs can force turnovers, especially during crucial Wake Forest runs, they can control the pace.