Coach Forbes Breaks Down Loss at Duke

Wake Forest's Head Coach Addresses the Media Post-Match

Wake Forest guard Nate Calmese drives for the basket in the game against No. 5 Duke on January 24. | Evan Harris - Wake Forest On SI

"Last year it was Flagg; this year it was Boozer"

Coach Forbes

Following Wake Forest's tough loss on the road, Coach Forbes addressed the media to share his thoughts on the game.

If one thing was abundantly clear, the Blue Devils destroyed the Demon Deacons on the interior. Coach Forbes highlighted that while the defensive rebound discrepancy was not drastic, the offensive rebounds and points in the paint were a serious issue. Duke scored triple the amount of points in the paint and had 11 more second-chance points.

Besides the obvious difference in size, these points in the paint and rebounding came down to two other factors that Coach Forbes explained. First off, people were losing their defensive assignments when doubles were being set. Instead of watching the weak-side cutter flooding to the basket, the Demons Deacons consistently allowed for the interior pass to enter seamlessly.

The other blatant issue was the inability to get a loose ball. Coach Forbes went as far as to say that it is not only demoralizing but also embarrassing that they cannot get a loose ball. Coach Forbes believes the responsibility for his team grabbing loose balls falls on his coaching, and he is working diligently to fix this issue.

Cameron Boozer and Tre'Von Spillers | Evan Harris

Coach Forbes also highlighted players he felt played very well. The most obvious talent on the court this afternoon was the future lottery pick, Cameron Boozer. Boozer totaled 32 points and made his presence felt throughout the entirety of the game. His ability to score on all levels, as well as draw fouls, was evident.

Additionally, Juke Harris was able to hold his own despite the multitude of distractions in Cameron Indoor Stadium. His 5 threes helped the Demon Deacons fight, and his strong second-half performance was felt. Cooper Schwieger took amazing strides this game and played solid defense on Boozer. Coach Forbes wants to see Schwieger rebound better and get him out of foul trouble. Coach Forbes also loved the performances from Tre'Von Spillers and Omaha Bilew.

Coach Forbes and Mekhi Mason | Evan Harris

Coach Forbes was disappointed with the guard play today. Apart from Harris, Forbes says the guards need to step up their performance. He wants to see Nata Calmese attack the basket more. If Calmese can establish himself as a scoring threat, the floor opens for others. Additionally, he wants both Sebastian Ament and Nate Calmese to play better defense.

As Coach Forbes has said before, he is not afraid to change things up and play younger guys. After seeing the effort Jaylen Cross and Issac Carr displayed today, fans should keep them in mind in future rotations.