Why Wake Forest Basketball Fans Should Be Encouraged Despite Narrow Loss

Wake Forest basketball showed that they can compete on a major stage against a top-ten opponent

Nate Calmese dribbles ball up the court for the Deacs against Michigan | Wake Forest Athletics

Wake Forest may have narrowly fallen to the Wolverines 85-84, but fans may have found this game more promising than last year's game, in which the Deacs beat Michigan by a slim margin. The Wolverines came into this game as the sixth-ranked team in the nation and an impressive physical presence; they certainly imposed on the Deacs. However, the fight this team showed in the face of adversity is definitely a reason for optimism. Let's break it down.

Made the Most of a Bad Matchup

One question everyone had about the Deacs' roster heading into the season was the lack of size in the frontcourt. This proved to be an issue against Michigan, one of the nation's biggest teams. Aday Mara, a 7'3" center, gave Wake problems all night. He finished with 18 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists. Add that to the fact that Tre'Von Spillers only played 18 minutes, as he was in foul trouble most of the night.

With all of these things going against them, Wake still managed to win the offensive rebounding battle 18 to 13. This was a huge point of emphasis for Steve Forbes this offseason and looks to be paying dividends early in the season. Big man Cooper Schwieger also came in and looked like he was finding his groove with this team offensively and defensively in Spiller's absence. Wake also limited Preseason All-Big Ten Team honoree, Yaxel Lendeborg, to just nine points. This shows solid defensive capabilities that should help Wake down the road.

This game looked like it might get away from Wake in the second half. They were down 13 at the half and could have easily packed it in while Michigan had all the momentum. However, the fight we saw from this team was very promising. They battled back and took a seven-point lead on the sixth-ranked Wolverines before eventually falling in OT. We knew this Michigan team would be a bad matchup for the Deacs with their size, but Wake was still able to compete at a high level.

The Blueprint Holds True

This offseason, you could say that Wake Forest attempted to reinvent themselves. Coming off a year with a static offense, poor shooting, and a narrow bench, the Deacs had a lot of priorities to accomplish going into the new year. The new Wake Forest blueprint was said to be a more efficient offense that generates more shots, creating turnovers, and strength in numbers with a deep bench.

The Deacs' offense may not have been extremely efficient, but there was a night-and-day difference from a year ago. They were able to generate 22 more shots than the Wolverines and made more threes. Sure, their three-point percentage may not be where they want it yet, but it's trending in a positive direction.

Wake also turned the Wolverines over 17 times. This led to 11 points off of those turnovers. The Deacs only committed 13 turnovers to the Wolverines' 17. We knew Wake was able to turn over inferior opponents in their opening games, but doing it against a top 10 team is very impressive and shows it is a formula that can work.

Wake had to lean on their bench at times with guys in serious foul trouble. Spillers, Juke, and Mason all had to sit at points in the first half due to fouls. However, Wake was able to hang around with Michigan despite the troubles. They had 27 bench points, highlighted by 13 from Myles Colvin. Akins, Marion, and Schwieger also came in and gave valuable minutes off the bench. If this trend can continue, expect Wake to be a lot more balanced and fresh later in the year. The loss may sting now, but the future is looking bright in Deacown!