Wake Forest Basketball Looks to Bounce Back Against West Virginia
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Well, the last game was rough for the Demon Deacons. They got beaten by the Oklahoma Sooners by 18 points on their home court. The Deacs have been very good on their home court over the past few seasons. In fact, this was the first non-conference home loss the team has suffered in the Steve Forbes era. After an uncharacteristic performance like that, it is key that the team comes out ready to rebound in the next one.
Today's matchup will feature the Deacs traveling to Charleston, West Virginia, to play the Mountaineers in the Holiday Hoopfest on a neutral site. Currently, West Virginia is 69th in KenPom and 95th in the NET rankings. This means the game is presently a Quad 2 opportunity for the Demon Deacons. Let's take a look at the matchup.
Opponent Preview
The Mountaineers were forced to hire a new coach this season after Darian DeVries left to take the Indiana coaching job. They brought in Ross Hodge, who had spent the last eight seasons at North Texas. So far, the team is 7-2 with losses to Clemson and Xavier in the Charleston Classic and a notable win over Pitt at home. They come into this game having played Coppin State on Wednesday and beating them 91-49.
As for players to watch, transfer guard Honor Huff leads the Mountaineers, averaging 15.8 points per game. He is shooting 41.3% from three so far this season. Forward Brenen Lorient, a transfer from North Texas, is averaging 11.1 points per game on over 50% from the field. He also leads the team in rebounding, grabbing six a game. Big seven-footer Harlan Obioha could present some problems in the paint for the Deacs.
Key to the Game: Win the Rebounding Battle
Coming into this game, the Mountaineer defense has been stout. They are 20th in the nation in defensive efficiency according to KenPom and are holding opponents to just over 55 points per game. They hold opponents to just 39.8% from two-point field goals, which ranks second in the nation. Maybe most impressive of all, they hold opponents to just a 20.8% offensive rebound percentage, which is good enough for best in the nation.
The Deacs are coming off a game in which they were physically dominated on the glass. Oklahoma won the rebounding battle 42-24 on the Demon Deacons' home court. This has to turn around for Wake Forest to be successful in this game. Especially with the way West Virginia plays defense, Wake will need to generate second-chance opportunities. West Virginia has been great all season about keeping opponents off the glass, but the Deacs will need to do everything in their power to change that to come out successful in this one. Look for a guy like Tre'Von Spillers to have a big bounce-back game.
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Justin is a student at Wake Forest University. He is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and aspiring finance major interested everything sports. In his freshman year, Justin completed an internship with the Wake Forest Ticketing Department where he gained some valuable insight into the sales and operations aspects of collegiate athletics. Before working with Wake Forest On SI, Justin was a contributing writer for Wake Forest’s student publication The Old Gold and Black. Currently, Justin serves as a student manager on the Wake Forest Men’s Tennis team. In his free time Justin enjoys spending time with his family and friends on the golf course and traveling.