Here's a significant amount of scuttlebutt from the ACC media day:

Devils blue

- Duke has been bitten by the injury bug early on. Starting point guard Greg Paulus injured his foot in the second practice, but is hopeful of playing in the season-opener. He's hoping to shed his crutches this week and begin the rehab process. Freshman Jon Scheyer, an intelligent wing who really hasn't played much point guard, is running the point for the majority of the time.

- In addition to Paulus, Blue Devils freshman wing Gerald Henderson Jr., has battled a myriad of issues since arriving in Durham. A sprained ankle kept him on the sidelines until one week prior to the first practice. He also suffered an eye injury and is battling asthma. ``That's why he's a little behind right now," Coach K said.

- DeMarcus Nelson couldn't answer the question of who the most athletic player on the Duke team is. It's a toss-up between Nelson, Henderson, sophomore Josh McRoberts and freshman Lance Thomas. We're going with Henderson.

- Don't be surprised to see a starting lineup (when Paulus returns) of Paulus and Nelson in the backcourt, Scheyer on the wing, the energetic Thomas at the four (he and his uncle always said they wanted him to play the three in college) and McRoberts in the middle.

Tech-nical

Georgia Tech junior shooting guard Anthony Morrow made the trip to media day despite an injured back that has kept him off the court for the last few weeks.

Both Morrow and Yellow Jackets coach Paul Hewitt are optimistic Morrow will return in time for the season-opener in Maui.

"I'll get back in the next couple of weeks," Morrow said. "I'm hoping to start shooting next week."

- Freshman forward Thaddeus Young is the overwhelming favorite, as picked by the media, to win Freshman of the Year. Here's one vote that says it comes down to Young and Texas frosh Kevin Durant for National Player of the Year honors.

- Paul Hewitt and Morrow both compare redshirt freshman Mouhammed Faye to Young. Faye, who is not even close to 100 percent after having a similar wrist surgery to that of Greg Oden, knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in the team's scrimmage on Friday. ``He's 6-9 and can really shoot the ball," Morrow said. "Plus, he has a great ability to pass and get above the rim. I think he'll be the surprise in the league this year."

Cavalier attitude

- Scary news for ACC point guards who have the unenviable task of trying to stop Virginia junior point guard Sean Singletary. ``I haven't felt this good since my junior year in high school when I stopped playing football," Singletary said. Singletary had surgery on his hip, which nagged him for most of last season. ``People think I'm going to come out slow because of the injury, but I've never had a summer to work on my game. I feel 100 percent. I'm able to go harder in practice and do more to take care of my body."

- Cavaliers freshman wing Will Harris has been out the last few days with bone spurs in his right foot. Harris is in a boot, but Virginia coach Dave Leitao is optimistic that Harris will be able to practice soon. Harris and fellow freshman Solomon Tat will give the Cavs a pair of physical wings.

- Expect Leitao to go with four out and one player in the paint and open it up. He's got some of the best guards and wings in the league (Singletary, J.R. Reynolds, Adrian Joseph, etc.). ``We're going to ramp up the tempo and try and create more easy baskets," he said.

- The Cavaliers have a new facility - and Leitao has a shower in his new office. ``It's huge," he said of the mammoth office. "I'm almost humbled by it. How many people have a shower in their office?"

Balanced 'Canes

- Look for Miami coach Frank Haith to have a more balanced team. His guards won't be quite as talented with Guillermo Diaz and Robert Hite gone, but the frontcourt will be an upgrade with Anthony King, Jimmy Graham, Raymond Hicks and athletic freshman Dwayne Collins. ``We'll be a little more inside-outside," Haith said. "And we'll be a little more traditional."

Eagles dare

- Boston College point guard Tyrese Rice, who takes the full-time reigns now that Louis Hinnant is gone, has been out with a sprained left wrist since practice began. Sophomore Marquez Haynes, far more of a shooting guard, has been running the point in Rice's absence.

- Senior shooting guard Sean Marshall tipped the scales at 235 for last season's season-ending loss to Villanova. The 6-foot-5 streak shooter has given up fast food and late night snacks and dropped more than 20 pounds and is down to 213. ``I broke down mentally last year," Marshall said. "This year I'm too old for that." Marshall said his quickness has improved, but he's hoping the biggest change in his game comes in his head. ``I broke down after bad plays and I tend to beat myself up," he said. Marshall is now meeting with a team psychiatrist weekly and it's already begun to pay dividends.

- Marshall isn't the only one to have shed extra baggage. Jared Dudley finished the season at 238 and is now at 222. Dudley, not regarded as a big-time athlete, said he has been measured to have a 30-inch vertical. Amazing considering how much Dudley gets done on the court.

- It isn't a done deal that junior lefty Akida McLain will get the minutes now available with the departure of Craig Smith. In fact, it sounds as though 6-foot-6 freshman Shamari Spears (who has a similar build to Smith and former BC standout Danya Abrams) could end up starting unless McLain gets his act together.

Terps chirp

D.J. Strawberry believes that freshman Eric Hayes, a pass-first point guard in the Steve Blake mold, will make his job easier.

"I won't have to handle the ball all the time," Strawberry said.

Strawberry's pick for most-improved player: James Gist.

"He's always been too nice," Strawberry said. "Now he's getting after it. We've never seen this out of him."

Strawberry said he had one conversation with Terps coach Gary Williams about leaving early, but that was it.

"I want to get Maryland basketball back on the map," he said.

Wake-up call

Skip Prosser will have plenty of talent - and youth this season.

Wake brought in a talented class and the key is Ishmael Smith, a speedy 5-foot-10 freshman point guard who should have the ball in his hands from Day One.

``I'm really happy with him," Prosser said. "He's got an insatiable approach for learning. He's got terrific quickness and pushes the ball - almost to a fault sometimes."

``He's as quick as anyone we've ever had from getting from Point A to Point B," he added. "But Chris (Paul) really knew how to change speeds."

Miller time

Wes Miller's father graduated from Wake Forest and the building in which the Demon Deacons practice, the Miller Center, is actually named after him.

Miller was a Wake fan growing up.

"My dad brainwashed me for the first 18 years of my life," the younger Miller joked.

Tiger concerns

Clemson coach Oliver Purnell can smile these days with forward James Mays back in the fold after missing the second semester last season due to academics.

"James will have to carry the load for us inside," Purnell said. "

However, he is concerned about his backcourt. Not the starters (Vern Hamilton and Cliff Hammonds are two of the better guards in the league). The problem is that Hamilton is the starting point guard and Hammonds is the backup. ``We don't have a lot of depth there," Purnell said.

Quote of the day

"They're like Noah's Ark. They've got two of everything." - Prosser on a loaded North Carolina squad.