COLUMBUS, Ohio — The last time Bobby Lutz coached in an NCAA tournament game, he was Charlotte's head coach, in 2005. The 49ers' opponent? N.C. State.

The Wolfpack beat Lutz and the Niners 75-63 in a first-round game in Worcester, Mass. in 2005. N.C. State star Julius Hodge helped the Wolfpack erase a 14-point first-half deficit with 19 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.

"We were up big," said Lutz, who was 2-5 in five NCAA tournament appearances with Charlotte. "Then Julius took over the game late."

By hiring Rusty LaRue, Wake Forest might have moved to the top of the unusual recruiting chase for Forsyth Country Day School point guard Tyler Lewis.

Lewis might be the top prospect in the class of 2012 in North Carolina. On Wednesday, Wake Forest announced that LaRue — one of the best three-sport athletes in ACC and Deacons history — was leaving Forsyth Country Day of Lewisville to join coach Dino Gaudio’s staff.