Freshman, 6'8", 225
| G |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
STL |
BLK |
| 21 |
8.1 |
6.7 |
1.4 |
36 |
29 |
Even though the 6'8" freshman doesn't start, he gets more
playing time than everyone but guards Steve Wojciechowski and Trajan Langdon, and his ability to handle
Antawn Jamison on the defensive end will be paramount. The center in this lineup by default, Battier possesses an array of
offensive skills, although he prefers to blend in and defer to the upperclassmen. But
with Elton Brand out of the lineup, Battier is Duke's best interior defender. It is certainly
a tall task to ask a freshman to check the likely national player of the year,
but Battier is exceptionally poised and intelligent for a youngster. —S.D.
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|
Junior, 6'9", 235
| G |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
STL |
BLK |
| 23 |
8.6 |
5.6 |
2.2 |
31 |
4 |
Going back to Henrik Rodl in 1993 and Matt Doherty in
1982, no Tar Heel title team has won the NCAAs without a complementary
player like this—mortar to go with the other four starting bricks, a guy
who'll set screens, grab offensive rebounds, deflect passes, take charges
and still score if you pay him no mind. A former club teammate of Rodl's in
Berlin, Okulaja has more steals than anyone else on the team. Like Battier, Okulaja is the
center by default—he can play any frontcourt position and is UNC's most physical defender. —A.W.
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