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GAME NOTES: Coming off a stunning loss at Virginia Tech, the 23rd-ranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons will attempt to right the ship, as they invade the RBC Center in Raleigh to take on the NC State Wolfpack in ACC action this afternoon.

Dino Gaudio's Demon Deacons had won four straight games and were playing as well as any team in the conference heading into Blacksburg this week. However, after jumping out to a big lead, Wake was unable to hold on and dropped a heartbreaking 87-83 decision to the Hokies. The loss dropped Wake Forest to a still respectable 8-4 in league play, a half game behind Maryland (8-3) and Virginia Tech (8-3) and two games behind league-leading Duke (10-2).

The Wolfpack have had their ups and downs this season and a 14-13 overall record is a direct result of that. There have been more downs in terms of league play however, with NC State winning just two ACC games this year and residing in the conference cellar at 2-10. Sidney Lowe's squad enters this weekend with an ugly five-game losing streak in tow, including Wednesday's 67-58 loss to Maryland.

This is NC State's oldest rivalry, with this game representing the 231st all- time meeting. The Wolfpack lead the series 131-99. NC State has won the last four meetings in Raleigh, but it is the Demon Deacons seeking the regular- season sweep after posting a 67-59 win in Winston-Salem on December 20th.

Wake watched an 11-point second-half lead evaporate, resulting in a four-point loss in Blacksburg. The loss spoiled a dominating performance by Al-Farouq Aminu, who finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds, including a remarkable eight offensive boards. L.D. Williams poured in 19 points and Ishmael Smith added 18 points and eight assists, but it wasn't enough to hold off the hard- charging Hokies. The Demon Deacons are still within striking distance in the ACC, thanks to solid play at both ends of the floor. The team is averaging a respectable 75.6 ppg, while limiting the opposition to just 68.4 ppg and .377 shooting. Aminu is perhaps the top frontcourt player in the conference, ranking seventh in the league in scoring (16.8 ppg) and first in rebounding (10.9 rpg). Smith is a perfect complement as both a scorer (13.3 ppg) and distributor (league-leading 6.2 apg). C.J. Harris (10.6 ppg) and Williams (9.2 ppg) provide perimeter support.

NC State's problems have been offensive in nature. The team is averaging a meager 68.5 ppg and even in the watered-down ACC, that simply isn't enough. The Wolfpack do have one of the conference's top scorers in Tracy Smith. The 6-7 junior forward ranks sixth in the league at 17.2 ppg and is doing so on an impressive .545 shooting. Smith is also among the league leaders in rebounds (eighth at 8.1 rpg). Dennis Horner adds 12.0 ppg to the cause, while Javier Gonzalez chips in with 9.6 ppg, while leading the team in assists (103). The Wolfpack took a 10-point lead into the intermission against Maryland this week, but a 22-5 run by the Terps after the break kept the Wolfpack in the loss column. Horner led the way offensively with 19 points. Smith however, tallied just 10 points and six rebounds in 33 minutes of work.

The Wolfpack lack the depth to overcome an bad performance by Smith. Even with him being on however, NC State may not have enough to prevent a season sweep by the Demon Deacons.