7. Wake Forest Demon Deacons - 11-4 (3-1)
The Demon Deacons had early season wins over Michigan and Minnesota, but they were either getting blown out by good teams or struggling against inferior low-majors. The offense wasn’t good, despite returning All-ACC guard Hunter Sallis.
The good news is after losing at Clemon, Wake Forest bounced back nicely this past week at home. The first result was an 81-71 win over Syracuse, led by 23 points from Sallis and a double-double from Tre’Von Spllers. Just as noticeable was Ty-Laur Johnson getting the start and scoring 10 points and being stuck on the bench during non-con play.
On Saturday, the Deacons had little trouble getting past NC State, winning 77-59. Johnson played a game-high 38 minutes and produced nine points and four assists, while Sallis had 20 points. Juke Harris had 17 points and five rebounds off the bench, a season-high output for him.
Those were two of the best offensive games for Wake Forest this entire season, with Johnson’s emergence playing a role. They’ll now have to go on the road to continue the momentum, taking on Miami and its poor defense. A win here will have the team in the top tier of the ACC.