Coach Forbes Answers Questions Following Tough Loss at Home

Wake Forest Loses Another Game at Home

Jan 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Myles Colvin (6) shoots against Pittsburgh Panthers guard Omari Witherspoon (8) during the second half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Snowmageddon did not stop Wake Forest and NC State fans alike from watching this ACC showdown in the LJVM Coliseum.

Wake Forest Men's Basketball head coach Steve Forbes said that he felt that both teams entered the game quite slowly. Neither team could buy a bucket from the tip-off. This cold streak would not continue for either team, but especially for NC State. After missing their first 2 threes of the game, the Wolfpack marched back to hit their next 4-of-6 from behind the arc.

According to Coach Forbes, open threes led to more confidence for the Wolfpack. And the confidence was on full display the entirety of the game. Darrion Williams was nothing but cash from the right corner, making all four shots he attempted from that spot. Paul McNeil Jr. also hit 6 threes to cap off a 28-point afternoon.

While Quadir Copeland previously had himself a strong offensive showing the previous time he played Wake Forest, Coach Forbes highlighted his ability to run the offense. His 10 assists display his ability to find the open man, and there was an open man quite often in this game.

"We gotta put the game plan into the game."

Coach Steve Forbes

NC State shot an astounding 53.8% from three. Coach Forbes wanted to see more closeouts and felt that guarding the ball was a major issue. He wants to see his team perform for the full 40 minutes, something Wake Forest has struggled with all season. Shots are going to fall regardless, but 16 threes on 28 attempts is far from a few.

Entering halftime, Coach Forbes was disappointed with the Deacons' ability to finish near the basket, shooting 4/9 at the rim. This seemed to improve in the second half dramatically, as the Demon Deacons proceeded to shoot 7/10 at the rim after that.

Jan 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Myles Colvin (6) drives to the basket against Pittsburgh Panthers guard Omari Witherspoon (8) during the second half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

While it may seem easy to see the negatives in an 18-point loss, there were some positives to look forward to as the Deacs take the week off. The freshman, Isaac Carr, played valuable minutes and showed tremendous hustle. Having a freshman play 22 minutes is daring, but with Nate Calmese sidelined, Carr really steadied himself throughout the game.

The driving factor in keeping the Deacons in the game was Juke Harris. Accounting for 31 points and 7 boards, Harris controlled the game when nobody else could. His ability to create shots was put on full display, and truly gave the Demon Deacons a chance to win.

Wake Forest has a long week to prepare for the showdown against the ranked Louisville Cardinals at the LJVM Coliseum.