Wake Forest @ North Carolina preview
Dean Smith Center
Last Meeting ( Mar 3, 2020 ) Wake Forest 83, North Carolina 93
North Carolina and Wake Forest are both looking to upgrade their offenses when the Atlantic Coast Conference teams meet Wednesday night in Chapel Hill, N.C.
"I just want us to play better," Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said. "We're going to go back and see if we can correct those mistakes. ... We've got to be more efficient at the offensive end. I think we are getting better. I look at the things I think we can improve in our next game."
North Carolina's 82-75 loss Saturday at Florida State marked the largest margin in any ACC game this season for the Tar Heels (8-5, 3-3).
Wake Forest (3-5, 0-5) has played its past four games against nationally ranked opponents. Not that this figures to be a reprieve in the schedule as the Demon Deacons seek to snap a five-game losing streak.
The Tar Heels are playing just their fifth game at home, where they are 4-0. Some energy could come from Anthony Harris, who hadn't played in 13 months because of a knee injury until making his season debut Saturday. He had five points and three assists in nine minutes of action.
"His energy level was extremely important to us," Williams said. "His level of conditioning is not game-like."
Harris might have given the perimeter a different look. North Carolina made a season-high 10 shots from 3-point range against Florida State.
"It's always good to have someone out there that knows what they're doing and is comfortable with pressure," the Tar Heels' Garrison Brooks said. "It's great having him, especially having him on defense. I think that's where he really makes a difference. It also helps when he makes shots, so it's great to have him out there."
North Carolina has an imposing front line. That could be trouble for the Demon Deacons, who had nine shots blocked in the opening half of a 64-60 loss to Virginia Tech on Sunday.
"One of the things we preach on offense is playing off two feet and shot faking," Wake coach Steve Forbes said. "And it's no disrespect to Virginia Tech, but they shouldn't have nine blocked shots in the first half."
Wake Forest had 10 steals and a season-high 16 offensive rebounds in the game.
--Field Level Media