Women's Basketball Makes Conference Headlines Yet Again

The Demon Deacons have struggled to find wins as of late, but they still have a lot going for them.

Milan Brown (0) attempts a shot against the Duke Blue Devils. | X: WakeWBB

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (12–11, 2–9 ACC) have lost their last eight games, including a 36-point blowout to Duke and a triple-overtime heartbreaker to Virginia. Despite the struggles, there is considerable cause for celebration, especially when talking about freshman guard Milan Brown.

Another Deac With ACC Honors

Freshman guard Milan Brown (0) celebrates at a home game against the Virginia Cavaliers. | X: WakeWBB

On Dec. 29, Grace Oliver won ACC Player of the Week following her historic performance against Gardner-Webb. This time around, Milan Brown took home the ACC Rookie of the Week honor. Her award comes from her performances against Virginia and Duke.

Against the Cavaliers, Brown played 50 minutes and tallied a career-high 30 points, 11 rebounds, and a buzzer-beater to force overtime. The Baltimore native also shot 55% from the field and knocked down a career-high 3-of-4 threes.

Against the Blue Devils, Brown recorded 11 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, marking her third consecutive game in double figures and second consecutive double-double (third in career). Her 17 boards are the most in the program since Ivana Raca ripped down 19 rebounds on Jan. 17, 2021, against Virginia Tech.

Milan Brown averaged 21.5 points, 14 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in Wake Forest's pair of ACC contests. The 5-foot-8 guard beat out Syracuse center Uche Izoje for the ACC honor. Of the 13 ACC Rookie of the Week winners this season, Izoje has claimed the title six times—she was looking to land her third consecutive.

What's Next?

Caitlyn Jones (5) and Milan Brown celebrate against the Virginia Cavaliers. | X: WakeWBB

Believe it or not, the Demon Deacons are down to their final seven regular-season games. On Feb. 5, the Deacs travel to Dallas, TX, to take on the SMU Mustangs (8–14, 1–9 ACC). This game is rather critical, as Wake Forest currently holds the 15th and final seed in the ACC Tournament (March 4–8). If the Mustangs take down the Demon Deacons, they swap spots in the standings.

Following the trip to Texas, Wake Forest returns to the Joel to host No. 25 North Carolina on Feb. 8, before heading to Louisville, KY, to take on the dominant and sixth-ranked Cardinals (21–3, 11–0 ACC). Louisville's three losses came against No. 1 Connecticut, No. 16 Kentucky, and No. 3 South Carolina. The Deacs and Cardinals clash on Feb. 12.

Despite the two daunting ranked matchups, the Demon Deacons actually have three games against teams in the bottom five of the ACC (SMU, Boston College, and Florida State). Last year—with the league expansion—Wake Forest failed to make the conference tournament. This year, however, they have a clear path to Duluth, Georgia—the new ACC Tournament location after 25 of the last 26 years being in Greensboro, NC.