Keys to the Game: Wake Forest Basketball vs Notre Dame
Wake Forest will try to snap their four-game losing streak on Saturday, traveling to South Bend to take on 10-12 Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have lost four out of their last five but are coming off a 14-point home win over Louisville. Here are a few keys to the game that will help Wake Forest get back in the win column.
Get to the line
Free throw shooting has been one of the Deacs’ strengths all season long. They’re currently second in the ACC in free throws attempted (450) and are shooting over 74% as a team, which also ranks in the top half of the conference. This team is at their best when they’re attacking the rim and giving themselves chances to score even when the shots from the field aren’t falling. Against Clemson a few weeks ago, the Deacs attempted a whopping 33 free throws en route to a 10-point victory.
The other part of the equation is that Notre Dame has dealt with a serious lack of depth all season long. Mike Brey plays his key guys heavy minutes, and only uses two guys off of the bench. If Wake Forest can get the Irish in foul trouble early, Notre Dame will have a serious personnel issue and Steve Forbes’ group will have a chance to control the tempo and complexion of the game.
The Irish are especially limited in the post, where forward Nate Laszewski is their only quality big man. If Wake can attack the rim and draw a few early whistles on him, the Irish will have to go to freshman Ven-Allen Lubin, who is far less experienced and only averages 16.6 minutes per game compared to Laszewski’s 34.5.
This is where Tyree Appleby comes into play. He excels at drawing contact in the open floor and around the rim and is one of the best in the ACC at getting to the line. He’s attempted nearly 50 more free throws than anyone else on the team and even drew nine fouls in the aforementioned Clemson game. I think the Deacs have a great chance to pick up a much-needed road victory if he is able to find success getting into the lane and making things happen.
Attack in transition
This Notre Dame team plays at an exceptionally slow pace, ranking 331st in the country in possessions per game. Conversely, Wake Forest is 98th. Steve Forbes often discusses the importance of playing fast without getting “sped up.” I think Wake’s ability to do this effectively will determine the complexion of the game. Notre Dame is also the worst offensive rebounding team in the ACC, averaging a mere 6.7 offensive boards per contest. If the Deacs can limit extra possessions for the Irish and attack the rim on the fast break, I like their chances to beat Mike Brey’s group down the floor and score some easy buckets.
I think this is a great opportunity for Wake’s backcourt of Cam Hildreth and Appleby, both of whom love to take it to the rack. If those two can continue to be aggressive and score efficiently, I’m not sure Notre Dame will be able to keep up.
Make some shots!
The Deacs are coming off one of their worst shooting performances of the season against Duke, converting on just 37.5% of their field goals and 29% of their three-pointers. The Blue Devils did a good job of contesting at times, but the biggest problem was that Wake’s best shooters just weren’t hitting their open looks. Damari Monsanto, Andrew Carr and Daivien Williamson went a combined 4/23 from deep in a game Wake only lost by two points. The Deacs are desperately in need of a bounce-back shooting night.
Also, this Notre Dame team has been scoring at a consistently high clip despite dropping four of their last five. They’ve crested the 70-point mark in each of their last six contests, including an 82-point outing against NC State last week. This group is capable of getting hot and they have four players averaging in double figures. Senior guards Dane Goodwin and Cormac Ryan combine for 23.5 points per contest and can cause problems for defense with their three-point shooting — both are above 38% from long range. Furthermore, Wake Forest is 13th in the ACC in scoring defense, giving up over 73 points per game on average (Notre Dame is two spots higher at 11th). The Deacs will need to keep pace with the Irish on both ends of the floor to leave South Bend with a victory.
Tipoff is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on RSN.
