Demon Deacons Stumble Against Fighting Irish's Sharp Shooting at Home
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons faced a challenging contest against the 19th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish, culminating in a 56-75 defeat. The Demon Deacons now hold a season record of 0-1, while the Fighting Irish advance with a record of 1-0.
From the outset, the Demon Deacons were put to the test as Notre Dame established an early lead with a strong first quarter performance. The home team struggled to keep pace with their opponents' scoring efficiency throughout the game. Despite their efforts, Wake Forest found themselves trailing at each quarter break, unable to overcome Notre Dame's offensive momentum.
Wake Forest's offense was led by determined play in the paint where they scored 28 points but was hindered by their three-point shooting which stood at just 21 percent from beyond the arc. In contrast, Notre Dame excelled from long range, hitting an impressive 56 percent of their three-point attempts. This sharpshooting contributed significantly to their victory as they amassed ten three-pointers over four quarters.
Defensively, both teams were active on court; however, it was Notre Dame who edged out with ten steals and three blocks compared to Wake Forest's nine steals and two blocks. The rebounding battle also favored the visitors as they pulled down a total of 33 rebounds – twelve more than Wake Forest’s tally.
A key factor in this matchup was turnovers; while both teams managed them closely with only one team turnover each, player turnovers saw Wake Forest give up possession thirteen times against Notre Dame’s sixteen. Nevertheless, it was how each team capitalized on these opportunities that made a difference – Notre Dame scored eighteen points off turnovers while Wake Forest managed twelve.
Despite falling short in this encounter, there were positive takeaways for Wake Forest including maintaining a two-points percentage above fifty percent and converting seventy-three percent of free throws attempted.
Looking ahead for fans of the Demon Deacons is an away game against Clemson Tigers at Littlejohn Coliseum on January 28th at 6:00 PM EST. Supporters can catch all action live from Clemson as Wake Forest looks to bounce back and secure its first win of the season.