ACC: Can Wake Forest Return To Glory?

Before the season, I outlined the challenges Danny Manning would face during his first season at Wake Forest. After years of being one of the best programs in the ACC, the Demon Deacons had fallen on hard times.

More from NBA

One ill-conceived hire of Jeff Bzdelik sent them into a tailspin. His tenure started off with three consecutive losing seasons, his fourth season ended with a 17-16 mark leading to his dismissal. That four-year run saw the Demon Deacons compile a 51-76 record, something that would have been considered unthinkable during the Skip Prosser era.

Former Kansas Jayhawk and NBA veteran, Danny Manning, who went 38-29 in two seasons at Tulsa, was hired after the 2013-2014 season to clean up the mess. So far the results don’t indicate much growth, but if you look closer there are signs of progress.

The talent to build around is there, Manning is not dealing with an empty cupboard. Junior Codi Miller-McIntyre is one of the most underrated guards in the ACC, averaging 13.8 points and 4.1 assists per game on 43.3 percent shooting. If he can improve his jump shot he could make a serious run at the ACC Player of the Year award during his senior season.

They’ve also got intriguing freshmen that are just starting to develop, including point guard Mitchell Wilbekin and Konstantinos Mitoglou, a power forward from Greece with a smooth outside shot, and a fantastic nickname. Mitoglou leads the Deacs in three-point shooting, making 38.8 percent of his three-point attempts. His offensive versatility makes him a huge part of Wake Forest’s future.

Freshmen Cornelius Hudson (another outside shooter) and Greg McClinton (a basket attacking wing) add to that young core that Danny Manning will attempt to build around in the coming years. Manning commented on the development of the freshmen after Sunday’s game.

“Our freshmen have done a great job all year long. You look at our stats, all three of those guys have made over 40 threes,” Manning said.” That’s pretty good when you talk about freshmen having to step up and knock down shots on a regular basis.”

Mar 1, 2015; Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Konstantinos Mitoglou (44) reacts after hitting a three point shot late in the second half against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Wake Forest defeated Pittsburgh 69-66. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

Big man Devin Thomas will also return to Winston-Salem next season. The junior has had a bumpy career at Wake Forest, concerns over attitude issues have overshadowed his talent. Attitude issues aside, Manning will be happy to have his 12.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game back in the fold next year.

The Demon Deacons took on Pittsburgh Sunday night for their final home game of the season. Wake Forest came out energized on senior day, holding a 37-35 halftime lead thanks, in part, to four three-pointers from Wilbekin. Pittsburgh’s All-ACC candidate, Jamel Arts, poured in 11 points to keep the Panthers within striking distance. Artis and a 4-for-9 effort from the free-throw line kept them from extending their lead.

Pitt’s talent advantage began to show up in the second half, the Panthers jumped out to a nine-point lead at one point thanks to a 22-point night from Michael Young. Wake Forest stormed back late, using a 7-0 run to take a 64-61 lead with 2:38 remaining. A few defensive stops, and clutch made free throws later, Wake Forest had themselves a 69-66 senior day victory.

Wilbekin led the Deacs in scoring with 14 points, while Miller-McIntyre fought through shooting struggles to add 13 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. After the game Miller-McIntyre spoke about how Manning inspired the team during the waning minutes.

“So, we work so hard in practice and we have the mindset to win every game,” he said. “We said to ourselves we will not lose this game. It’s a big chance, and we will not lose it.”

It was a surprising and emotional victory considering how up and down this season has been.

Sunday night’s win brought some positivity to the end of their difficult season. The win brings their record to 13-16 (5-11), but as I stated before, they have shown signs of progress. Wins over NC State, Miami, and now Pittsburgh, paired with good efforts in losses against Duke and Virginia show that this team is just on the cusp of getting themselves back to respectability.

If next season they can make a surprise leap up the ACC standings, then this season’s growing pains will be viewed as a necessary part of the rebuilding process. However, if things do not improve will fans fear Bzdelik part two? I’d urge patience in this instance.

Tim Duncan, Chris Paul, or Jeff Teague are not walking through that door, but things are looking brighter. They have a talented selection of players returning in 2015-2016. That, combined with a few decent recruiting classes should get this program headed in the right direction. Consistency, experience, and a bit more talent are all that’s missing.

Their record may not have been pretty this season, but Wake Forest is in good hands, and the future is bright.

Next: ACC Power Rankings

ACC: Can Wake Forest Return To Glory?

By Andrew Snyder | Mar 2, 2015

More from Hoops Habit