Written By: Patrick Duffy
In a season which has had many ups and downs, both North Carolina State and Wake Forest look to get back to winning ways. The season is nearing the end and while both teams have had lackluster performances throughout the year, a win here can help right the ship. While Wake Forest is trying to improve their resume, to punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament, NC State is looking to play spoiler as they try to crush the dreams of Demon Deacon Faithful.
The Wolfpack, who lost to Wake Forest earlier this year, started out the season with 12 wins and 3 losses. Since that time however, NC State has gone 2-8 and has a less than impressive 3-9 record in ACC play, including losing their last four games. As the team and fans alike look forward to next year it will be important to see how the Wolfpack finish out their season.
NC State will look to freshman guard Dennis Smith Jr. for a good performance to diminish the hopes of Wake Forest as they try to improve their record in preparation for the big dance. Smith is the leading scorer for the team, as he averages19.2 points per game. This young man has a bright future and a solid performance from him can help propel his team towards a late season surge. A win now may not result in an invitation to the NCAA tournament, but could help with creating a new foundation for NC State in the seasons to come.
NC State is currently 13th in the ACC standings and has nearly no chance at making the NCAA tournament. With the team facing this kind of adversity, it will be crucial for the Wolfpack to get ahead early to improve the teams confidence. If they stumble at the beginning of the game, NC State could be in for a long afternoon.
Wake Forest, on the other-hand, is looking for a big in-conference win to help their efforts in getting into the NCAA tournament. They still have some work left to do to get in the tournament, but a win on Saturday would help to solidify their chances at being selected. The Demon Deacons have a trio of players that all average over 12 points a game, John Collins, Bryant Crawford and Keyshawn Woods. All three of these players will need to perform well in order to finish off the Wolfpack.
In their previous matchup in January against NC State, Collins, a sophomore forward from West Palm Beach Florida, had an impressive 21 points as the Demon Deacons closed out a tough road game to beat NC State. They will look to do the same at home as they head towards a challenging remaining schedule which features games at Duke and at home against fourth ranked Louisville.
After receiving a tough loss on the road against Notre Dame, Wake Forest is looking to get back on the right path. Collins once again had an outstanding game as he hauled in 14 rebounds as well as put up 24 points in the close loss. With a few more key wins, the Demon Deacons can push themselves off of the bubble and into the tournament for the first time since 2010. That season they lost to Kentucky in the second round and hope to do more this time around. This season can be a memorable one for Wake Forest and it all starts with a big game this Saturday at home against NC State.
The Wolfpack, who lost to Wake Forest earlier this year, started out the season with 12 wins and 3 losses. Since that time however, NC State has gone 2-8 and has a less than impressive 3-9 record in ACC play, including losing their last four games. As the team and fans alike look forward to next year it will be important to see how the Wolfpack finish out their season.
NC State will look to freshman guard Dennis Smith Jr. for a good performance to diminish the hopes of Wake Forest as they try to improve their record in preparation for the big dance. Smith is the leading scorer for the team, as he averages19.2 points per game. This young man has a bright future and a solid performance from him can help propel his team towards a late season surge. A win now may not result in an invitation to the NCAA tournament, but could help with creating a new foundation for NC State in the seasons to come.
NC State is currently 13th in the ACC standings and has nearly no chance at making the NCAA tournament. With the team facing this kind of adversity, it will be crucial for the Wolfpack to get ahead early to improve the teams confidence. If they stumble at the beginning of the game, NC State could be in for a long afternoon.
Wake Forest, on the other-hand, is looking for a big in-conference win to help their efforts in getting into the NCAA tournament. They still have some work left to do to get in the tournament, but a win on Saturday would help to solidify their chances at being selected. The Demon Deacons have a trio of players that all average over 12 points a game, John Collins, Bryant Crawford and Keyshawn Woods. All three of these players will need to perform well in order to finish off the Wolfpack.
In their previous matchup in January against NC State, Collins, a sophomore forward from West Palm Beach Florida, had an impressive 21 points as the Demon Deacons closed out a tough road game to beat NC State. They will look to do the same at home as they head towards a challenging remaining schedule which features games at Duke and at home against fourth ranked Louisville.
After receiving a tough loss on the road against Notre Dame, Wake Forest is looking to get back on the right path. Collins once again had an outstanding game as he hauled in 14 rebounds as well as put up 24 points in the close loss. With a few more key wins, the Demon Deacons can push themselves off of the bubble and into the tournament for the first time since 2010. That season they lost to Kentucky in the second round and hope to do more this time around. This season can be a memorable one for Wake Forest and it all starts with a big game this Saturday at home against NC State.