N.C. State Wolfpack

THE LOWDOWN

Head Coach: Herb Sendek
2003-04 Record: 21-10 (11-5 ACC)
ACC Finish: 2nd
Key Losses: F/C Marcus Melvin (14.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg), G Scooter Sherrill (10.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg)
Postseason: NCAA: Defeated Louisiana-Lafayette 61-52, lost to Vanderbilt 75-73 in the second round

RETURNEES (returning starters in bold)
No.	Name	Pos.	Ht.	Yr.	Pts.
14	Engin Atsur	G	6'3"	So.	8.5
13	Cameron Bennerman	G/F	6'4"	Jr.	3.4
32	Jordan Collins	C	6'10"	Sr.	3.0
3	Ilian Evtimov	F/C	6'7"	Jr.	4.5
24	Julius Hodge	G/F	6'7"	Sr.	18.2
34	Adam Simons	C	6'10"	So.	1.5
21	Levi Watkins	F	6'8"	Sr.	6.3
Complete 2003-04 Team Stats

FRESH FACES
No.	Name	Pos.	Ht.
	Braxton Albritton	G	6'1"
22	Tony Bethel	G	6'2"
40	Andrew Brackman	F	6'10"
11	Gavin Grant	G/F	6'7"
33	Cedric Simmons	F/C	6'9"

Julius Hodge walked into a press conference on April 14 and solemnly stated that he was leaving NC State for the NBA Draft. The lanky New York native then flashed a wide smile and said, "Gotcha." Hodge, never one to pass up a joke, was kidding. He would be staying in Raleigh for his senior season.

In the blink of an eye, Herb Sendek's Wolfpack went from a team with a number of question marks to a team with a number of reasons to be excited. The No. 1 reason is, undoubtedly, Hodge. With the reigning ACC Player of the Year still in the fold, the Pack could challenge for the league title. And -- no joke -- that would truly bring a smile to Hodge's face.

FRONTCOURT

The graduation of forward Marcus Melvin, one of the top scorers the past few years, will be hard to overcome, though not overwhelming. Jordan Collins and Levi Watkins have both made progress each season and are the kind of teammates that make others shine. Collins took his already bulky body and became a solid shooter; Watkins has added an inside touch to a game that already featured a nice shooting touch.

Ilian Evtimov is the perfect complement to Hodge. Evtimov is the team's best passer and the one player who seems to fully grasp the Pack's Princeton-style offense. He gained confidence as the 2003-04 season progressed after recovering from a torn ACL the year before. He was injured again during a pickup game in the summer and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Evtimov's coach believes he will be ready to go.

"If anyone can persevere through this, he can," said Sendek.

Freshman Cedric Simmons, an athletic power forward considered by many to be the top recruit in North Carolina last year, will be counted on to contribute right away.

State coaches are also excited about two-sport stud Andrew Brackman of Cincinnati, the Ohio Player of the Year. He was also the state's No. 4 baseball prospect according to Baseball America.

BACKCOURT

The fortunes of the Pack rest on the slim shoulders of Hodge, who now weighs over 200 pounds. The 6-foot-7 do-it-all guard averaged 18.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game and had a team-high 43 steals last season while leading the Pack to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Hodge's ability to put the ball in the basket is crucial with the graduation of Melvin and Scooter Sherrill, one of the Pack's streakiest shooters.

Hodge said the opportunity to play with Georgetown transfer Tony Bethel, who sat out last season, is one of the reasons he opted to stay at State. "Tony Bethel -- wait 'til you guys see him," said Hodge. "I think Tony, even though he didn't play [in '03-04], could have been a top-three point guard in the ACC."

Those are high expectations, but Hodge may be on to something. In two seasons at Georgetown, Bethel averaged almost 11 points and three assists per game, and during last year's practices he earned a reputation for being a fierce competitor and dynamic defender.

As a freshman, Engin Atsur transformed into the Pack's reliable point guard. On a "position-less" team, Atsur relished the thought of being the point man for the Pack. Though that role will be taken over by Bethel this season, Atsur's experience (this summer he was a member of the Turkish National Team) and shooting touch will still make him a key part of the Pack's offense.

Cameron Bennerman's performance late in the season transformed the Greensboro, N.C., native from an almost-forgotten bench warmer to potentially a key contributor.

FINAL ANALYSIS

The progress of Hodge's supporting cast, plus the health of Evtimov, will go a long way in determining how deep into the NCAA tournament the Pack can advance this year.

Of course, Hodge didn't return for his senior season just to make the tournament again; he has high expectations for himself and his team. Hodge was a hero when he made his April announcement to stay at State. He'll be a superhero if that decision pays dividends in March.

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