March 15, 2002

GAME: No. 7 Wake Forest (21-12) vs. No. 2 Oregon (24-8).
REGIONAL: Midwest, Second Round.
TIME: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. EST.
SITE: ARCO Arena; Sacramento, Calif.

As far as coach Ernie Kent is concerned, the nerves are now officially gone and Oregon can get down to the business of making a serious run in the NCAA tournament.

The second-seeded Ducks look to earn a spot in the round of 16 when they face seventh-seeded Wake Forest.

Oregon overcame a slow start before beating No. 15 Montana 81-62 on Thursday for its first NCAA tournament win since 1960. Luke Ridnour and Luke Jackson scored 18 points apiece, and Robert Johnson added 15 points and seven rebounds.

The Ducks, who didn't make the postseason last year, are shedding the weight of years of mediocrity with each victory in their resurgent season.

"We had to calm these guys down a few times over the last couple of days," Kent said. "This team was really excited ... but hopefully this was one to get the butterflies out, and we can come back strong."

Oregon's years of struggles are slowly being erased by Kent, an alumnus who has led the Ducks to two NCAA tournament berths in three seasons. This winter, the Ducks claimed their first outright conference title since 1939 - the same year Oregon won the first NCAA tournament.

Oregon will need another solid effort Saturday to get by Wake Forest, which ran away from No. 10 Pepperdine 83-74 on Thursday.

Craig Dawson, who finished with 19 points, hit two big 3-pointers early in the second half to put the Demon Deacons back in front when Pepperdine twice held one-point leads. The senior guard capped the scoring on a dunk with 14.9 seconds remaining.

Dawson played in the NIT as a freshman and sophomore, including Wake Forest's 2000 tournament title.

"It's the best feeling I've had since I've been here," he said, referring to Thursday's victory. "Nothing can compare to it, even a NIT championship."

Senior Darius Songaila added 18 points for the Deacons, who lost in the second round of the 1997 NCAA tournament and didn't make the tournament again until last year, when they fell to Butler in the first round.

Oregon won the only prior meeting between the teams, 67-66 on Dec. 28, 1999 at the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu.

PROBABLE STARTERS: Wake Forest - F Josh Howard (14.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg), F Songaila (17.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg), F Antwan Scott (9.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg), G Broderick Hicks (9.8 ppg, 2.2 apg), G Dawson (12.2 ppg, 2.8 apg). Oregon - F Johnson (7.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg), F Jackson (16.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg), C Chris Christofferson (8.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg), G Frederick Jones (18.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg), G Ridnour (15.2 ppg, 5.1 apg).

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Wake Forest - At-large bid, Atlantic Coast Conference; defeated Pepperdine 83-74, first round. Oregon - At-large bid, Pac-10 conference; defeated Montana 81-62, first round.

ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Wake Forest - 23-16, 17 years. Oregon - 7-5, 7 years.