Coach: Larry Shyatt, 5th year at Clemson (55-71), 6th year overall (74-80)
2001-02 record: 13-17, 4-12 (tied for last in ACC)
Starters lost: 2
Outlook: Unless the Tigers make a significant move upward in the conference standings, this could be the last season for Shyatt, whose teams have finished in the basement for three consecutive years. Having a skilled, seasoned point guard such as Edward Scott will help. Losing shooting guard Tony Stockman, who transferred to Ohio State, will hurt. Then again, Stockman's defense left much to be desired. The frontcourt of Ray Henderson and Chris Hobbs is huge but inconsistent. The Tigers, who will not play in Littlejohn Coliseum until renovations are completed in early January, need sophomore guard Chey Christie and sophomore forward Sharrod Ford to improve their play dramatically for the team to become an ACC factor.
Coach: Mike Krzyzewski, 23rd year at Duke (564-168), 28th year overall (637-227)
2001-02 record: 31-4, 13-3 (2nd in ACC)
Starters lost: 3
Outlook: The Blue Devils lost guard Jason Williams, forward Mike Dunleavy and center Carlos Boozer to the NBA, but the return of starters Chris Duhon and Dahntay Jones and the addition of one of the nation's top recruiting classes have Duke poised to contend for its fourth national title. Freshman forwards Shavlik Randolph and Shelden Williams could start right away and give the Blue Devils more toughness down low than they've had in recent years. Freshman guard Sean Dockery should play a lot as Duhon's backup. Sophomore guard Daniel Ewing made 48 percent of his shots last season and played better as his role grew. Jones, a defensive stopper, needs to score more. Krzyzewski plans to press more because he thinks this is his deepest team in years.
Florida State
Coach: Leonard Hamilton, 1st year at Florida State, 15th year overall (200-210)
2001-02 record: 12-17, 4-12 (tied for last in ACC)
Starters lost: 4
Outlook: Hamilton rebuilt moribund programs at Oklahoma State and Miami, and in the wake of Steve Robinson's firing, he has another project on his hands. Look for the Seminoles to make fewer mistakes while using a half-court style that emphasizes tough defense. Replacing the productive backcourt of Delvon Arrington and Monte Cummings is a prime concern, as Florida State lost 68 percent of the scoring from a team that averaged an ACC-low of 71.8 points. Junior college All-America point guard Nate Johnson will lead the way, and freshman Todd Galloway (City) will get a lot of minutes as his backup. Hamilton needs consistency out of junior forward Michael Joiner and better production from sophomore forward Anthony Richardson.
Coach: Paul Hewitt, 3rd year at Georgia Tech (32-29), 6th year overall (98-56)
2001-02 record: 15-16, 7-9 (tied for 5th in ACC)
Starters lost: 2
Outlook: Successfully replacing point guard Tony Akins could be the one obstacle that stands between mediocrity and conference title contention. Freshman point guard Jarrett Jack has plenty to work with, starting with emerging stars in junior shooting guard Marvin Lewis and sophomore forward Ed Nelson, who might have improved faster last year than any other player. And now, Nelson gets to move back to power forward, leaving highly touted recruit Chris Bosh to take over in the low post. Forward Clarence Moore's decision to quit basketball doesn't help, but the Yellow Jackets will get help from role players such as forward Isma'il Muhammad and guard B.J. Elder. Seven-foot-1 center Luke Schenscher will be a more formidable presence in the lane as a sophomore.
N. Carolina
Coach: Matt Doherty, 3rd year at Carolina (34-27), 4th year overall (56-42)
2001-02 record: 8-20, 4-12 (tied for last in ACC)
Starters lost: 3
Outlook: Whoever thought the Tar Heels could go nowhere but up? That's how it is this year after the worst season in the storied program's history. Doherty's job appears to be on the line, but at least he will sink or swim with his own recruits, starting with talented sophomores, such as forward Jawad Williams, and a recruiting class that some say is the best in the nation. Freshman point guard Raymond Felton is a candidate for ACC Rookie of the Year, though he might be too good to stay at Carolina for more than two years. Two other freshmen, swingman Rashad McCants and center/forward Sean May, also will start. Athletically, the Tar Heels will hardly resemble last season's plodding squad, but they still have a lot of learning and climbing to do.
Coach: Herb Sendek, 7th year at N.C. State (109-85), 10th year overall (172-111)
2001-02 record: 23-11, 9-7 (tied for 3rd in ACC)
Starters lost: 2
Outlook: The Wolfpack is the fashionable pick to win the league title as a dark horse, and the team has enough weapons and experience to make a serious run, although bad news already has come with a season-ending knee injury to sharpshooting sophomore forward Ilian Evtimov. Remember how he hurt Maryland in last season's ACC tournament? Still, even with the loss of guards Anthony Grundy and Archie Miller, N.C. State has plenty left in the tank, starting with sophomore swingman and ACC Player of the Year candidate Julius Hodge. Forward/centers Josh Powell and Marcus Melvin need to get more physical on the boards, and guards Scooter Sherrill and Clifford Crawford can't disappear on offense. Seven returning players averaged at least 11.2 minutes last year.
Virginia
Coach: Pete Gillen, 5th year at Virginia (70-49), 18th year overall (344-177)
2001-02 record: 17-12, 7-9 (tied for 5th in ACC)
Starters lost: 4
Outlook: The Cavaliers have been awful defensively in recent years, have been brittle on the road and have not won a postseason game since 1995. Senior center-forward Travis Watson deserves to win at least one NCAA tournament game, and with precocious sophomore forwards Elton Brown and Jason Clark and solid sophomore guards like Keith Jenifer (Towson Catholic) and Jermaine Harper around him, maybe Watson will get his wish. Gillen scored on the recruiting trail with guard Todd Billet, a Rutgers transfer, and JuCo transfer Devin Smith, a 215-pound swingman who should bring toughness and good perimeter game. Junior point guard Majestic Mapp has had setbacks in his comeback from two major knee injuries.
Coach: Skip Prosser, 2nd year at Wake Forest (21-13), 10th year overall (186-91)
2001-02 record: 21-13, 9-7 (tied for 3rd in ACC)
Starters lost: 4
Outlook: Like everybody else in the league, the Demon Deacons are young, but they do have senior forward Josh Howard, a dynamic scorer and rebounder who might be able to drag this group to a pretty high level. Senior guard Steve Lepore is still working his way back from a knee injury and should be at full speed within a month. Prosser is eager to toughen up a defense that allowed 77.1 points a game, the second-highest in school history, and he's counting on sophomore point guard Taron Downey, who took over the job at midseason, to set the tone at both ends of the floor. The frontcourt, so young right now, figures to grow up in a hurry with big, strong, mobile freshmen such as 6-9 forward Chris Ellis and 6-9 center Eric Williams.