Wake Forest Basketball Looks to Bounce Back Against UMass Lowell

The Deacs are back in action today against the River Hawks of UMass Lowell at the Joel

Oct 8, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes answers questions from the media at The Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

Wake Forest will host the UMass Lowell River Hawks today at 2 pm for the first time. The Deacs are no longer undefeated, coming off a close loss to Michigan in Detroit this past week. This will be a nice bounce-back opportunity for them and a potential springboard into their upcoming trip to the Bahamas. Let's take you through everything you need to know.

Opponent Preview

Nov 15, 2024; Spokane, Washington, USA; UMass Lowell River Hawks guard Quinton Mincey (3) gives a thumbs up after a game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

The River Hawks are in the America East Conference. This conference is home to teams such as UMBC, Vermont, Albany, and Maine. So far in the young season, the River Hawks sit at 1-3. They smoked Division three Rivier in their first game of the season. After that, it's been all downhill. UMass went on the road and lost to UConn, a top team in the nation, by a staggering score of 110-47. They then lost to Division 1 newcomer New Haven and Columbia.

The River Hawks are led by 6'8 senior forward Austin Green, who is averaging a team-high 13.5 points per game and a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game. They also have a freshman guard, JJ Massaquoi, who is second on the team in scoring, averaging 11.5 points per game.

Key for the Deacs: Capitalize on Open Shots

So far this season, despite scoring more than a season ago, the Deacs still have not had a really good shooting night. They are averaging just 28.9% from three so far this season. For a team that shot 40% in the offseason and exhibitions, the percentage is certainly underwhelming. This game is a great opportunity to boost that percentage and capitalize on open shots against an inferior opponent.

Wake Forest has also just shot 40.2% on two-point field goals so far this season. It would be great to see them convert on a higher percentage of their looks in close. I am looking to see them shoot a high percentage from inside the paint this game against an undersized opponent.

Another area of concern is the free-throw line. Mekhi Mason missed two critical free throws in overtime on his trip to the charity stripe. As a team, the Deacs are shooting just 70.7% from the line. They should be able to get to the line a lot in this game. So it would be great to see them convert at a higher clip.

Overall, I think a big win here would go a long way in building this team's confidence for a trip to the Bahamas this week. The Deacs must not look ahead and give the River Hawks their full attention to pick up a decisive victory.