Overall record: 13-18, 6-12 in the ACC
Head coach: Jeff Bzdelik
Tenure at Wake Forest: Fourth season
Career coaching record: 145-165
Home court: Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Starters: F Devin Thomas, F Travis McKie, F Tyler Cavanaugh, G Madison Jones, G Codi Miller-McIntyre
Bench: F Arnaud William Adala Moto, G Coron Williams
Overview: In recent years, Wake Forest has been buried in the basement of the ACC. The Demon Deacons have not made the NCAA Tournament since 2009-10 and have finished 13-18 in each of the last two seasons. Despite losing the team’s leading scorer, C.J. Harris, Wake Forest is poised to improve.
Codi Miller-McIntyre and Devin Thomas are ready for strong sophomore campaigns after averaging 8.1 and 9.1 points per game in 2012-13, respectively. The two will likely be joined by senior guard Travis McKie, who averaged 13.5 points last season, fellow sophomore Arnaud William Adala Moto and transfer Coron Williams in the starting lineup. In three seasons at Robert Morris, Williams made 210 3-pointers on 42-percent shooting from behind the arc. Wake Forest shot just 34.5 percent from 3-point land last season. Thus, the addition of Williams will open driving lanes and make an offense that ranked 168th in points per game much more dynamic.
While Chris Paul and Tim Duncan’s alma mater is certainly on the upswing, they are unlikely to be competitive in the ACC and make the tournament this year. With three sophomores in the starting lineup and underclassmen Tyler Cavanaugh, Madison Jones, Greg McClinton and Miles Overton coming off of the bench, the future is bright.
One thing that needs to go right: Travis McKie and Coron Williams emerge as leaders and take ownership of this team.
One thing that could go wrong: With 10 of the team’s scholarship players being freshmen and sophomores, Wake Forest experiences growing pains as it tries to move out of the ACC cellar.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.