Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 17, 1993 TAG: 9303170068
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RALEIGH LENGTH: Medium
WAKE STAR BEST IN THE ACC
Rodney Rogers, a two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection and prime mover in Wake Forest's best men's basketball record in nine years, was chosen the league's player of the year Tuesday by The Associated Press.Rogers, the lone unanimous selection to the All-ACC team in 1993, received 51 votes, half of the 102 ballots cast by members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Writers Association. He got four more votes than Duke point guard Bobby Hurley, the NCAA's all-time assists leader.
George Lynch and Eric Montross, both of North Carolina, got two votes apiece.
With the help of Rogers, the Demon Deacons compiled a 19-7 regular-season record, their best since a 20-7 record in 1984. Wake Forest went 10-6 in the ACC, its best league record since a 9-5 mark in 1982 and the first time in 30 years that the program has won 10 games in conference play.
Entering the NCAA Tournament, where Wake Forest will play Tennessee-Chattanooga in the opening round of the Southeast Regional on Friday, Rogers is the team's leading scorer at 20.9 points per game. He has scored 20 or more points in seven of his past 11 games and has scored 10 or more in 62 straight games and 82 of the past 85.
"I think I had a great year," Rogers said Monday. "I could have done a lot of things better, but at the same time, I was experiencing a lot of new things, playing out on the perimeter on both offense and defense.
One thing Rogers has handled away from the basket is the constant inquiries about his future. After Wake Forest defeated North Carolina State in the regular-season finale, fans chanted for Rogers to return for his senior season. It is expected that he would be a high draft choice in the NBA if he decided to forgo his senior season in Winston-Salem.
So far, Rogers has been noncommittal.
"Number one, I really don't talk about it, and I think by not talking about it you don't have to answer too many questions," he said. "That way, it makes people shy away from you and then they don't want to talk about it because you're not going to give them any leads or anything."
Until then, Rogers is in on a part of school history as Wake Forest makes its third successive trip to the NCAA Tournament, the first time that's ever happened. Rogers hopes the third time will lead the team a little further into the tournament.
"Anything can happen when you're in the NCAA Tournament," he said. "I just have to make sure I get everybody else involved. I'll get myself involved later."