Trevor Lacey’s buzzer-beater snuck the NC State men’s basketball team past Georgia Tech Saturday, but the Wolfpack can’t dwell on the victory as the team faces Wake Forest tonight in Winston Salem.
The Wolfpack (14-9, 5-5 ACC) and Demon Deacons (10-12, 2-7 ACC) last met in early December in PNC, with State running away with a 78-65 victory. With a home showdown with No. 3 Virginia looming, the Wolfpack hopes to not overlook the matchup with the Deacs and walk away with its sixth ACC victory of the season.
Wake Forest gave the Pack a formidable fight in the two schools’ previous meeting. Guard Codi Miller-McIntyre lead all scorers with 22 points while senior guard Ralston Turner led the Pack with 21 points, 17 of which came from the second half.
Now, almost two months since the last meeting, the Pack and Deacons have gone in different directions. The Pack has been enigmatic this season, playing like a contender in a win against then-No. 2 Duke and playing like a pretender in a home loss to Clemson.
Wake Forest’s season has been on the opposite end of the spectrum. The Demon Deacons limp into tonight’s showdown with the Pack having lost six of their last eight games, most recently to Florida State in double overtime.
Under first-year head coach and former Kansas star Danny Manning, the Deacons have struggled and now sit two games below .500. The Deacs played both Duke and UNC close at home, and at one point looked like they would pull away with the stunner, but both the Blue Devils and Tar Heels were able to hold off the Deacons and leave Winston-Salem unscathed.
The Pack has struggled on the road this season and especially in Winston-Salem in recent years. With a 2-2 record on the road in ACC play, a trip to Wake Forest may not bode well for the Wolfpack. In its last two trips to Wake, State has dropped both, including last year’s 70-69 heartbreaker.
In order to turn the tables in its favor, the Pack needs the leadership of guards Trevor Lacey and Turner. The pair leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.6 and 13.1 PPG, respectively, and has shot 40 percent for the season.
However, if the duo has trouble scoring, it could be a long night for the Wolfpack. But after a 23-point performance against the Yellow Jackets Saturday, sophomore guard Anthony “Cat” Barber could pick up the slack should either Turner or Lacey come out cold.
Just like State, the Demon Deacons have a scoring duo of their own in Miller-McIntyre and forward Devin Thomas. Each averages 14.4 and 12.9 PPG, respectively and shoots above 40 percent from the field.
The Deacs are 11th in the country in rebounding, with Thomas also averaging 10.0 per game. Wake Forest hasn’t looked the best at several points during their season, specifically in home losses to Delaware State and Iona.
After dropping the home game to Clemson, the Pack has moved on to the bubble (if it wasn’t there already) for the NCAA Tournament. The road win against Georgia Tech was the first step in the right direction, but the Pack can’t slow down.
It’s make or break time for this team with winnable games remaining on the schedule, including home games against UVA, VT and Syracuse. The Pack needs every win it can get in order to build a quality résumé and make a run for an at-large bid to the Big Dance.
