Wake Forest Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Demon Deacons

Non-conference schedule for 2018-19

Nov. 10 (H) – North Carolina A&T

Nov. 15 (N) – Saint Joseph’s (Myrtle Beach Invitational)

Nov. 16 (N) – UCF/Cal State Fullerton (Myrtle Beach Invitational)

Nov. 18 (N) – West Virginia/Monmouth/W. Kentucky/Valparaiso (Myrtle Beach Invitational)

Nov. 23 (H) – Houston Baptist

Nov. 27 (H) – Western Carolina

Dec. 1 (A) – Richmond

Dec. 6 (H) – Charlotte

Dec. 17 (H) -Davidson

Dec. 23 (A) – Tennessee

Dec. 29 (H) – Gardner-Webb

Jan. 2 (H) – Cornell

With two true road games on the schedule, the Demon Deacons may not have a hard time finding victories in their non-conference slate. That’s a good thing given what they’ll face in ACC play. Nine teams in the conference made the NCAA Tournament last season and each returns with an opportunity to do the same this year.

Wake Forest opens the season against the North Carolina A&T Aggies on Nov. 10. After that, they’ll participate in the Myrtle Beach Invitational in South Carolina from Nov. 15-18. The Demon Deacons will face the Saint Joseph’s Hawks in the opening round. The teams haven’t faced off since the Hawks snapped a three-game losing streak back in the 2003-04 season. Pending the results, they have an opportunity to face the UCF Knights or Cal State Fullerton Titans. Pending those results, they could face the West Virginia Mountaineers, Monmouth Hawks, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers or Valparaiso Crusaders in their final game.

The Demon Deacons return home Nov. 23 and 27 when they face the Houston Baptist Huskies and Western Carolina Catamounts respectively. Then on Dec. 1, they travel to Virginia to face the Richmond Spiders.

Four of their final five non-conference games on the schedule at home should boost their confidence if all goes well. The toughest road game on the schedule will probably be against the Tennessee Volunteers on Dec. 23. Wake Forest lost to them 79-60 at home last season.