It's no secret that the key for Sidney Lowe and the N.C. State Wolfpack next year will be point guard play.

Lowe has big men Brandon Costner and Ben McCauley back in the fold and he's adding a pair of talented freshman frontcourt guys in J.J. Hickson and Tracy Smith. Gavin Grant and Courtney Fells are both productive and experienced players on the wings.

However, senior Engin Atsur is gone.

Atsur missed plenty of time with a hamstring injury last season, but he was an extension of Lowe when he was in the game. He knew how to get the team into its offense and knocked down key shots.

Now the task will likely fall to super-quick Farnold Degand, who sat out last season after transferring in from Iowa State.

``It's going to be a big year for him," Lowe said of the 6-foot-3 Boston native. "He's not guaranteed to replace Engin. We don't want to put that out there. There are other guys he's going to be battling."

True, but Degand will likely be the guy.

He'll be competing with Tennessee transfer Marques Johnson, a 6-foot-4 combo guard who won't be eligible until December, and incoming freshman Javier Gonzalez out of Miami.

``He's got a talent you can't teach - speed," Lowe said of Degand. "Sometimes that's a special weapon that's hard to deal with and it cures a lot of problems."

The addition of Degand - and added depth - will also mean that Lowe will be able to get out and push the ball instead of relying on a half-court offense.

``He's got to pull the ball back some and run the show because sometimes speed can be detrimental," Lowe added. "But his game is based on speed and we're going to try and take advantage and get some easy baskets."

MOORE ADDING LOCAL FLAVOR

Scott Burrell is coming home.

The former Hamden High (Conn.) star, who spent parts of eight years in the NBA and starred at UConn, will join Tom Moore's Quinnipiac staff in the next week or so.

Burrell, 36, joins a staff that includes Sean Doherty and Eric Eaton. Burrell last played in Japan two years ago.

``I'm thrilled that he'll join us here," said Moore, a long-time UConn assistant. ``He brings so much to the table in terms of his experience in the NBA and at UConn. His status in this state is great and Scott has such a strong reputation in Hamden."

Moore is also getting things done on the recruiting trail. He's brining in former Rhode Island forward Jonathan Cruz, who will have to sit out next season, and also signed point guard Jeremy Baker and junior college forward Louis Brookins.

Moore is also in the mix to ink Baker's older brother, Evann, who had signed with Wichita State prior to its coaching change.

The Bobcats will be built around 6-foot-4 wing DeMario Anderson, a Central Connecticut State transfer who averaged 15.7 points and 4.3 boards in his junior campaign a year ago.

``He could be an all-league player," Moore said. "He's got terrific size and is a smaller version of Caron Butler. We're going to try and feature him in similar ways."

MEMPHIS DEFECTIONS

FOXSports.com has confirmed that two players from Memphis - guard Tre'Von Willis and skilled big man Kareem Cooper - are leaving the program.

CBS Sportsline.com reported the news on Thursday night that both players would be transferring. However, the Tigers chances to go to the Final Four next season won't take a hit with the departures.

It was a numbers game for Willis while Cooper has battled off-court issues since he arrived two years ago.