As Wake Forest prepares to face Virginia Tech on Saturday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, both teams find themselves in the midst of recovery efforts. The Demon Deacons (9-5, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) are working to regain their offensive rhythm, while the Hokies (12-2, 1-0) are looking to build on their recent triumph over No. 21 Virginia, a grueling 95-85 victory achieved after three overtimes on Wednesday.
Virginia Tech faced significant challenges in their last game due to injuries impacting their roster, leaving them without three starters. Coach Mike Young acknowledged the team’s depth issues, humorously stating, “We’re thin as nickel soup right now.” Despite these adversities, reserve Ben Hammond emerged as a key player, scoring a career-high 30 points without committing a single turnover. Inside, Amani Hansberry contributed significantly with 17 points and 15 rebounds, while freshman Christian Gurzdak also had a strong showing with 17 points and 19 rebounds, both enduring extended minutes in their critical matchup against Virginia.
The Hokies are looking forward to the return of their injured players, including 7-footer Antonio Dorn, defensive specialist Tyler Johnson, and last season’s leading scorer and rebounder Tobi Lawal. “We’re gonna be whole here pretty soon and that will make us better,” Young remarked about his team’s impending reinforcements.
On the other hand, Wake Forest aims to bounce back after a disappointing 70-57 defeat to North Carolina State on Wednesday, marking their second consecutive loss. In this recent streak, the Demon Deacons have struggled offensively, highlighted by a combined 33 turnovers in their last two games, along with shooting percentages of just 34.5% from the floor and 23.1% from beyond the arc. Coach Steve Forbes pointed out their struggles near the basket, noting, “We were 12 for 26 at the rim, not winning numbers.”
Wake Forest is particularly eager for a resurgence from top scorer Juke Harris, who, after starting the season strong, has made only five of his last 31 long-range attempts. Furthermore, they hope for a turnaround from Tre’Von Spillers, another crucial player, who has not found his groove during this downturn. However, the Demon Deacons did receive a silver lining from Omaha Biliew, who recorded his first career double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds against North Carolina State.
With both teams seeking to regain their momentum, the upcoming matchup promises to be a thrilling encounter as Wake Forest eyes a crucial home game against a resilient Virginia Tech squad.