2021-22 Wake Forest Basketball Season - 25-9 (13-7), KP#33

[JamesSokolove]

We're gonna need Mucius and Monsanto. This team is built for March

 

[Deaconblue]

Monsanto gives Forbes another piece to mix and match. Looks like Marsh may be one too. Good serviceable big for chunks of minutes as needed because of foul trouble (like tonight) or because of match-ups.

 

[Deac83]

Our rating may suffer, but the rating doesn't take into account that if we had played a top 10 schedule in the early season we would have never pulled together and become who we are.

Most importantly we seem to finding our defensive identity. We know we have the offense but we've only shown flashes of good defense. Tonight was probably our best defensive game of the year.

And to state the obvious, we need to beat BC or the UNC win is not as valuable.

Given the way the team is pulling together, I'm glad we don't have a full week off after the UNC win. It would be nice if the postponed game became a benefit to us.

 

[ChrisL68]

Remember when we were all talking about how underrated our transfer class was nationally.

Our fanbase was significantly underrating how good of a transfer class this was.

 

[Henry Chinaski]

If only McCoy hadn’t flipped to UNC at the last moment…🙄

 

[Bob Niedbala]

If only McCoy hadn’t flipped to UNC at the last moment…

No kidding. I was bummed when he picked UNC and clearly shouldn’t have been. Total stiff.

 

[SC DEAC]

McCoy must have been in that one article that huebert read about best guys in the portal

 

[cville deac]

And speaking of the portal, Casey Morsell went 5/7 from the field against UVA yesterday after never shooting 50% in a game at UVA. He was a good defensive player but the biggest mason I'd seen in recent years.

I was watching the playoffs with friends last night so I missed our game. After watching the game here last week, my biggest concern was depth because we didn't have a bench in that game outside of Sy and maybe Whitt. Getting Monsanto back this season is a huge boost and should help propel us to a tourney bid.

And is it even possible to finish 1st in the ACC regular season and miss the Dance? Miami could possibly find out if Duke can lose a few more. I know I'm probably exaggerating, however this is an absurd year for the conference.

 

[BeachBumDeac]

And is it even possible to finish 1st in the ACC regular season and miss the Dance?

No

 

[DeacsNDayton]

I feel confident that this will be the first time in a very, very long time that we won't have a Tuesday tournament game!. Dare I say I am also confident that we can bye until Thursday when 1-4 seeds see their first action? That would make a deep tournament run possible.

I LOVE watching this team play basketball!!!

 

[Neurodeac]

Well, we are going to finish 2nd in the conference, so yes, we will have a bye until Thursday of the ACCT.

 

[deacdixieboy]

Well, we are going to finish 2nd in the conference, so yes, we will have a bye until Thursday of the ACCT.

We’re only a half game out of first. We can still dream for a while.

 

[BeachBumDeac]

And our February schedule is pretty favorable

 

[saltydeac]

We’re only a half game out of first. We can still dream for a while.

With bc and Pitt at home and cuse on road we hopefully can win next 3. Home games should be easy if we show up but at cuse will be super tough as took us OT to get them at home. 9-3 would be nice and then could be looking at a first place position.

 

[PhDeac]

And our February schedule is pretty favorable

Honestly, I don’t see more than 2-3 losses.

 

[sportsmed86]

We’re only a half game out of first. We can still dream for a while.

Agreed, unsure why folks keep assuming we are finishing between 2-4. Yeah Duke ran us the first time but we have already beat #1 and lost to other #1 when they shot 61% and 50% from 3 and we were still only down 3 with 3 to go. We control our own destiny TIED with Duke half a game out.

 

[lovemydeacs]

ESPN's BPI is full of crap ...

Nationally it has VT #26, UNC # 34, and us #39 even after we absolutely torched UNC!

Now, it does "predict" we finish 2nd in the conference so it makes up there, but the current rankings are rather suspect to say the least.

 

[Deac83]

Maybe we'll get an AP vote this week.

This team seems to be the opposite of the Bilas 'smoke an mirrors' team.

 

[BlackjackMc]

Forbes isn't done yet. He credited the team with 40 minutes of defense in last nights game, citing Carolina's 33% field goal percentage and 25% from three. He immediately suggested the team failed on the defensive boards, citing the 23 offensive rebounds by Carolina and 22 more field goal attempts than Wake. Pat on the back but...

He will push this team all year long. He will always be grumpy and want more from them. Forbes drive is for championships, not ranking or accolades. He has coached or assisted 4 teams that won 30 games in a season. That is rare air shared by very few coaches. He knows what 30 wins takes and he has said this a good basketball team. He will continue to grow this team one game at a time until there are no games left to play.

 

[PhDeac]

Speaking of 30 wins, this team is 16-4 with 11 more conference games left. 30 wins is actually within reach with a little leeway. 10 wins/ACC Finals/Sweet 16 would do it.