Beware Deacon Zero

Self-proclaimed underdog Teague ready for UNC matchup

WINSTON-SALEM -- Given the opportunity to choose his basketball jersey number at Wake Forest, Jeff Teague knew it had to be "0."

Not exactly what you might expect a guy with a penchant for putting up big numbers, but Teague took his cue from another Agent Zero.

The Demon Deacons sophomore guard selected "0" after learning Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas wears it because skeptics once doubted the NBA star's ability.

"That's kind of like my story," Teague said. "I wasn't highly recruited. No one really thought I could play here. And no one is saying I have a chance to play in the NBA. I want to prove everybody wrong."

As it turns out, Wake's "Zero" has become a hero to the "Tie Dye nation" of Joel Coliseum fans eagerly awaiting Sunday's matchup of No. 3 North Carolina and No. 4 Wake Forest.

Entering this weekend, Teague leads the ACC in scoring with 19.6 points per game. The 6-foot-2 combo guard from Indianapolis is shooting 53.6 percent, including an eye-popping 51.5 on 3-point tries, and he ranks second in the league in steals (29) behind UNC's Ty Lawson.

To have a chance against Lawson and the Tar Heels, Wake will need premium guard play from Teague and backcourt mates Ish Smith and L.D. Williams.

Teague believes the undefeated Deacons "match up very well" with UNC in the backcourt and overall. Just don't expect to hear a lot of bravado from the quiet Teague, a religion major with a pair of praying hands tattooed on his left arm above the words "God-Given Ability" and the names of eight family members.

Also, don't talk statistics with him. When a reporter offered to show him his big numbers, he refused to look.

"I'm not a stat guy," Teague says. "If I look at that, I'll see those turnovers (47 compared to 54 assists)."

With Smith limited because of a foot injury, Teague has worked mostly at point guard, which he played at Pike High in Indianapolis. As Smith's minutes mount, though, he expects to spend more time on the wing.

Wherever he plays, Teague has captured attention.

"He's one of top guards in the country, there's no question," said Jay Bilas, a former Duke standout and longtime ESPN analyst. "He has great athleticism. He's explosive. He's fast. He's got a hunger to score [and] he's an unselfish player [who] will only get better."

Teague's coaches won't disagree with that assessment.

Teague already has dropped 31 points on UNC-Wilmington this season and 30 in Wake's road win Saturday at BYU.

"From an offensive perspective, he's one of the special players," Wake assistant coach Pat Kelsey said. "I don't think there's a better scoring guard. He has the ability to dominate games at the offensive end."

Teague was named to the All-ACC freshman team last season as a skinny, 165-pound rookie who averaged 13.9 points a game. But Teague said he drove too often into the lane and got caught up in traffic. Game tapes revealed that he was passing up open jumpers last season, but Teague is using screens better now to launch more long-range missiles.

Up to 184 pounds, Teague has added strength to go with his delicate touch. The extra weight comes in handy when fighting through picks and trying to ratchet up his defense, an area where he still needs work.

"He's getting better defensively," Kelsey said. "I don't think he's there yet, [but] he has the ability to be a dominant defender."

Though not especially vocal on the court, Teague gained a clearer concept of how to lead after attending Wake's Leadership Academy for athletes and coaches.

"To be a leader, you've got to do something out of your comfort zone,'' he said. "You should be the hardest worker, blow everybody out of the water."

Sometimes hard work isn't enough, however. In a scrimmage earlier this week, Smith and Teague went head-to-head, trading baskets. Teague buried a pair of clutch 3s, but Smith hit a runner, then a game-winning floater for the "Black" team.

For a guy who hates to lose even in video games, Teague didn't relish his "Gold" squad's two-point loss.

He grew up in a competitive environment and isn't the only family member who can shake and bake.

His father, Shawn Teague, played college ball at Boston University and Missouri, and his younger brother Marcus is a standout sophomore guard at Pike High.

Weaned on hoops from about the sixth grade, Jeff caught the eye of Wake recruiters early and chose the Deacons before programs such as Kansas and Indiana took notice.

Now Wake's rivals all wished they had zeroed in on Teague much earlier.