ACC Roundup - Wake Forest Has Become A Pain

Louisville certainly won the Wake Forest game, but there's no question that a different Wake team showed up from the sad sack bunch we've been used to in recent years.

But it was also clear that as improved as Wake Forest is, the Deacs didn't understand how to close out the game when the possibility presented itself.

Louisville was ahead throughout the second half, but the Cards couldn't pull away. And when Bryant Crawford hit a three to tie the game - a magnificently gutty shot for a freshman in his first ACC road game - he turned to the crowd with his finger on his lips.

And when he did, we could only think...too soon, dude.

It was an exultant thing to do, but there was a problem: Wake had merely tied the score, and there was still 2:32 left to play.

And that's when Louisville provided a key chapter in the education of the young Deacons.

Crawford attempted another three, which missed. Konstantinos Mitoglou missed a foul shot. Codi Miller-McIntyre missed a three. Rondale Watson fouled.

Watson missed his own three. Devin Thomas missed a free throw. He made the second, but by then Louisville was up 61-57.

Young Crawford then missed three free throws in a row with Wake Forest down 63-57. It was impossible to not feel sorry for the young warrior as he trudged downcourt to the other foul line. It was a study in misery.

Two more three point attempts later and it was over, with Wake losing by eight.

Seven possessions, one point and for the game, Wake Forest shot 3-12 from the line.

After the game, Louisville's Rick Pitino said that "Wake Forest is no longer rebuilding. They're there."

And Wake's Devin Thomas said he reckoned Wake Forest was a Top 15 team but that "we beat ourselves."

Well there's no question Danny Manning has made huge progress with this team. Wake Forest fans should be excited, and next year, there's significant talent on the way as well.

But the new trick is to take down a better team. And the next chance for Wake is when Duke visits Wednesday. Wake Forest will have three key advantages: 1) depth. 2) size. and 3) home court advantage.

Duke will be favored, but Wake, as Pitino said, is there. If not Duke, then someone else. The Deacs just need to learn how to close one out.

Well that and hit some free throws.

And Louisville? The pre-season predictions of doom and gloom were way overwrought. Louisville is only going to get better.

Two games on Monday as UNC visits Tallahassee and Virginia takes the short and brutal  trip to Blacksburg.

With UNC guard play surging, it's a bad time to have poor perimeter defense, which Florida State does. On the other hand, though, FSU has a history of getting up for Duke and UNC.

As we just saw Sunday, experience matters, and UNC has far more than does Florida State.

There's no reason whatsoever to think that Virginia Tech should beat Virginia, but it's a passionate rivalry and in games like that you can never rule it out.