M.J. Salahuddin was perfectly positioned to earn a leading role on North Carolina State's defense when a knee injury knocked him out for the season. ''It's just a learning experience all over again because this is new for me,'' Salahuddin said. Salahuddin's return can only help the Wolfpack's defense, which ranked 13th in the 14-team Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring (27 points per game) and 10th in total defense (373.1 yards).