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2023-24 Wake Forest Basketball Season - 21-14 (11-9) - KP#29 / NET#43

Well, that was a punch to the gut. It was obvious that we were going to play poorly after the dook win, but I was hoping the talent disparity would allow us to GGTT it out. I still think we work the Techs and then nip Clemson in the finale, but it sucks to lose our margin for error right away like that. This team likes to do things the hard way.

Also, for an 80+% free throw shooter, Boopie misses an incredible number of front ends in clutch situations.

vs. NCSU, 4:05 left, tied, clang.

vs. NCSU, 1:39 left, tied, clang.

vs. dook, 1:18 left, up 3, clang.

@ND, 0:18 left, down 4, clang.

That's four in our last 6 games. I've never seen anything like it.
 
This was a bad loss, but I think some of us are overestimating the consequences of it. It was a lack of impressive wins that was hurting us more than our number of losses. Obviously this loss does narrow our margin of error to an uncomfortable degree, but we should still be projected in the field if we win the remaining games we’re supposed to.
 
In reality, I think we go 2-2 from here going into Selection Sunday. Lose at VT, beat GT and Clemson at home, lose in the ACCT. Is that enough? Our NET would likely be top 25/30, especially if we keep the losses close and win one of the others by a huge margin. We’ll see but I’m not super optimistic.
 
That, imo, will not be enough. Dayton at best, but wouldn't be surprised for that to have us literally at the first team out.
 
myDeaconmyhand said:
This was a bad loss, but I think some of us are overestimating the consequences of it. It was a lack of impressive wins that was hurting us more than our number of losses. Obviously this loss does narrow our margin of error to an uncomfortable degree, but we should still be projected in the field if we win the remaining games we’re supposed to.
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I wholeheartedly agree with this, that loss doesn't eliminate us from the NCAAT or anything.

I'm way more concerned with just how bad the team played. We have a big enough sample size now to say that even with Efton Reid eligible this team has been absolutely terrible away from the Joel. I have no idea if that's coaching or if it's just on the players to perform, but it really limits what it feels like the ceiling of this team can be.

We also massively shot ourselves in the foot last night in terms of the ACCT double bye, which is hugely important. It's looking likely that the Clemson game will be to decide which one of Wake/Clemson gets it.
 
deacdixieboy said:
In reality, I think we go 2-2 from here going into Selection Sunday. Lose at VT, beat GT and Clemson at home, lose in the ACCT. Is that enough? Our NET would likely be top 25/30, especially if we keep the losses close and win one of the others by a huge margin. We’ll see but I’m not super optimistic.
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Yea that feels like “Dayton slash very last team in the tournament, if we’re lucky” to me.
 
OldGoldBeard said:
Well, that was a punch to the gut. It was obvious that we were going to play poorly after the dook win, but I was hoping the talent disparity would allow us to GGTT it out. I still think we work the Techs and then nip Clemson in the finale, but it sucks to lose our margin for error right away like that. This team likes to do things the hard way.

Also, for an 80+% free throw shooter, Boopie misses an incredible number of front ends in clutch situations.

vs. NCSU, 4:05 left, tied, clang.

vs. NCSU, 1:39 left, tied, clang.

vs. dook, 1:18 left, up 3, clang.

@ND, 0:18 left, down 4, clang.

That's four in our last 6 games. I've never seen anything like it.
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I was wondering earlier this year who would shoot any technical free throws. Who would it be today, do we know?
 
If we are going to fully embrace the Kansas City Chiefs "us against the world, we are the villains" mindset, then we need to start hurling water bottles from the stands.

Court storming is for little babies (Filipowski, Scheyer, people who don't know our basic cheers that I taught my kids by age two et al.). Slinging water bottles, like Texas Tech did last night. That'll show 'em.

The Clemson game, with no students and a dampened home court advantage, since it's spring break, that's the game. While our undefeated home record, and our NCAA bid drifts away into the abyss, while we watch Sallis aimlessly dribble around the perimeter or other guys shoot wide open shots that clang into the backboard/rim or get wedged between the rim and backboard, that should be the game for the most heightened fan anxiety and dumb behavior, imo.

Our 5 starters will be dead tired by the second half of that game, too.
 
myDeaconmyhand said:
This was a bad loss, but I think some of us are overestimating the consequences of it. It was a lack of impressive wins that was hurting us more than our number of losses. Obviously this loss does narrow our margin of error to an uncomfortable degree, but we should still be projected in the field if we win the remaining games we’re supposed to.
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Are you including VT as a team we should beat?

12-8 is more likely I would think.
 
After starting ACC play 2-10, Notre Dame has now won 4 out of their last 5. I genuinely do think that's a team that is playing a lot better at this point than what they are given credit for, which sucks.

Of course, Wake should have been able to beat them anyways. But I'm pretty confident we could have played badly and still won at Notre Dame in early January. Not the case at this point.
 
We just need to end the season on a 3 game win streak and everyone will feel better…I emphasize 3 bc I’m still going to be uneasy if we lose @Va Tech then win the last 2 at home.

Still a big positive yesterday that Cam showed flashes of old offensive Cam. Sallis will be fine. Best thing besides return of old Cam we could see is PFred and/or Damari get hot. I thought Damari was on the verge after hitting that stepback 3. It would be easier to let him shoot through it if he wasn’t currently such a liability on defense, but I feel like it’s not crazy to think he will continue to improve each week in that regard either. You could see his frustration last night on defense, and I hate that for him, but it does show how much he cares and how hard he’s trying.

We have reasonable room to grow, even from where we’ve been the last 2 weeks
 
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deacon14 said:
I wholeheartedly agree with this, that loss doesn't eliminate us from the NCAAT or anything.

I'm way more concerned with just how bad the team played. We have a big enough sample size now to say that even with Efton Reid eligible this team has been absolutely terrible away from the Joel. I have no idea if that's coaching or if it's just on the players to perform, but it really limits what it feels like the ceiling of this team can be.

We also massively shot ourselves in the foot last night in terms of the ACCT double bye, which is hugely important. It's looking likely that the Clemson game will be to decide which one of Wake/Clemson gets it.
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I think games are officiated differently on the road which is pretty obvious across college basketball. When teams are allowed to play very aggressive defense against us, we really struggle. Carr misses a wide open three in the second half because he's just purely gassed.
 
Clemson, is by no means, a given. We
myDeaconmyhand said:
Would be a mistake to overlook Clemson. There are going to be some tight asses over these next two weeks, nothing ever comes easy for our Deacon Demons.
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100%. We could lose to VT and Clemson, honestly may be the most likely outcome. But I hope not.
 
myDeaconmyhand said:
This was a bad loss, but I think some of us are overestimating the consequences of it. It was a lack of impressive wins that was hurting us more than our number of losses. Obviously this loss does narrow our margin of error to an uncomfortable degree, but we should still be projected in the field if we win the remaining games we’re supposed to.
Click to expand...

Every year those projections are thrown into disarray by some podunk teams winning their conference tourney.

This team has been on a razor's edge all year in terms of what it absolutely has to do to get comfortable space come tourney time. We can't win any road games so we have to beat Duke and hold serve. We beat Duke, then lose to awful ND on the road. We are almost beyond the point where much is in our hands. If we want to give them a reason to put us in, win out and win one ACCT game. That is the only scenario (short of winning the ACCT, which isn't going to happen) that would have us comfortably in, IMO. Lose to VT, win the rest and drop your only ACCT game isn't going to be enough, and it shouldn't be.
 
myDeaconmyhand said:
Would be a mistake to overlook Clemson. There are going to be some tight asses over these next two weeks, nothing ever comes easy for our Deacon Demons.
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I'm pulling for both Wake and Clemson to make the big dance. It is surprising to see how many people on here (and social media) have the Clemson game in the bag. I know Wake is undefeated at home but Clemson plays very well on the road. This season they only have 4 losses away from home. I did not know the Clemson game falls on the beginning of Wake's spring break. It will be interesting to see how many students show up.
 
I think a VA Tech win on the road and a close home loss to Clemson would still get us in, but I most certainly wouldn't want to rely on it.
 
OldGoldBeard said:
Well, that was a punch to the gut. It was obvious that we were going to play poorly after the dook win, but I was hoping the talent disparity would allow us to GGTT it out. I still think we work the Techs and then nip Clemson in the finale, but it sucks to lose our margin for error right away like that. This team likes to do things the hard way.
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Yeppers and it's been the case the entire '23-'24 season
 
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