[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 42 (Thursday, April 6, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E514]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       HONORING THE WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

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                           HON. RICHARD BURR

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 6, 2000

  Mr. BURR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, although yesterday was the 
day for the Michigan State men's and University of Connecticut women's 
basketball teams to shine, I wanted to take this opportunity to 
recognize the winners of the other national championship that took 
place during the month of March. While North Carolina and Duke both 
performed admirably during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, only 
one team from Tobacco Road returned home this past weekend with the 
champion's hardware and only one team from the ACC will begin next 
year's season on a winning streak--my hometown Wake Forest Demon 
Deacons--the past Thursday evening in Madison Square Garden the Deacons 
easily disposed of Notre Dame to win its first national invitational 
tournament. Now the critics of this tournament will be quick to call 
Wake Forest the ``65th best team in the Nation''--a reference to not 
making the NCAA field of 64. And several Wake fans, in midst of a 3-9 
mid-season slump, might have taken a 65th place finish, but the 
Deacons, led by Coach Dave Odom and his staff chose to turn this season 
around, winning 8 of its last 9 games, salvaging a 22-14 record and a 
national championship. Credit for this victory goes to all the Deacon 
players, from leading scorer Darius Songalia and NIT Tournament MVP 
Robert O'Kelley to strong bench support from Craig Dawson and Josh 
Shoemaker. The Deacons losing only two players from this year's team, 
look to carry the momentum of this late season success into next year's 
season, when they hope to readily hand over the NIT championship trophy 
as they make their way to the ultimate goal--the NCAA Torunament.
  Once again--congratulations to Wake Forest.

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