Wake Forest Falls Flat Again in ACC Opener, Offense Struggles Continue in Loss to NC State
After a 10-day break for the holidays, Wake Forest returned to the court hoping to reset and regroup. But if the Deacs were looking for a fresh start, they didn’t find it in Raleigh. Instead, they ran into a buzzsaw of NC State pressure defense and their own recurring issues, falling 70-57 in their ACC opener.
It was a frustratingly familiar script for Wake Forest-turnovers, poor shot selection, and a second-half collapse. The Deacs are now 0-1 in conference play and 9-5 overall, and this latest loss looked a lot like their blowout defeat at home to Vanderbilt before the break.
Let’s break it down.
Turnovers: The Achilles' Heel
Wake Forest knew what was coming. NC State is known for turning up the heat defensively, and they did exactly that from the opening tip.
But the Deacs looked anything but prepared. They coughed up the ball 11 times in the first half alone, leading directly to 13 points for the Wolfpack.
That kind of sloppiness is hard to overcome, especially on the road in a conference game.
By the final buzzer, Wake had committed 16 turnovers-33 over their last two games. That’s not just a trend, it’s a full-blown identity crisis. And when your veteran point guard, a four-year player, is making unforced errors that lead to fastbreak dunks on the other end, it’s a sign that the problems run deeper than just execution.
A Tale of Two Halves… Again
Despite the early mistakes, Wake actually kept things close through the first 20 minutes. They shot 40% from the field and trailed by just four at halftime, 36-32. But just like in the Vanderbilt game, the wheels came off after the break.
NC State opened the second half on a 7-0 run while Wake missed its first six shots. Nearly four minutes passed before the Deacs got on the scoreboard, and by then, the manageable four-point deficit had ballooned into double digits. Wake trimmed it to nine a couple of times, but the Wolfpack kept them at arm’s length for the rest of the game.
If not for a late burst from freshman forward Omaha Biliew, the final score might’ve looked even worse. Biliew poured in seven points in the final two minutes and finished with a team-high 18 points and 10 rebounds-one of the few bright spots in an otherwise tough afternoon.
Offensive Identity Crisis
The numbers tell the story: 34% shooting from the field, 26% from three-point range. Wake attempted 31 threes and made just eight. That’s over half their shots coming from deep, and most of them weren’t clean looks.
This wasn’t just a cold shooting night-it’s become a pattern. In five of their seven non-buy games, Wake has failed to shoot above 40% from the floor.
That’s not just bad luck or variance. That’s a sign of systemic offensive issues.
Wake’s offense has become overly reliant on the three-point shot, often settling for contested looks after minimal ball movement. There’s little penetration, almost no cutting, and very few attempts to get easy buckets inside. Too many possessions end with a late-clock heave after 25 seconds of passing around the perimeter.
It’s a tough way to live, and lately, the Deacs have been dying by the three more often than not.
What’s Next?
This loss drops Wake to 103rd in offensive efficiency on KenPom, trending dangerously close to the 145th mark they hit last season. With conference play heating up, that’s not where you want to be.
Saturday’s matchup against Virginia Tech looms large. It’s early, yes-but fall to 0-2 in the ACC and 9-6 overall, and the margin for error gets razor thin. The Deacs need a response, and fast.
There’s still time to turn things around. The ACC schedule is long, and there are opportunities ahead.
But Wake Forest has to clean up the turnovers, find more balance offensively, and get back to playing with purpose. Whether they have the roster-and the leadership-to do that remains to be seen.
For now, the Deacs will try to leave their December struggles behind and ring in 2026 with a much-needed reset.