Your “Unbreak My Heart” Wake Forest Open Thread

The Pack (14-11, 3-9 ACC) travels to Winston-Salem today to take on Wake Forest (14-10, 5-7 ACC).

Since the last time we lost to Wake 3 weeks ago we’ve managed to go 1-4, beating a then reeling Duke team; then falling the last four times out in succession. It’s been a difficult few weeks to be a State fan, to be sure. And I don’t think many of us are expecting the turnaround to happen at this point.

As such (and with all due apologies to Toni Braxton)…..

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I’m getting a late start today so this is gonna be light on content/opinion (suuuuurrre, the late start….that’s the reason….it’s totally not the apathy).

But here, have some links/quotes….

Pack Plays at Wake Forest on Saturday (GoPack.com)

Pack Tracks
– NC State fell to #14/15 Florida State, 95-71, on Wednesday evening. Senior guard Terry Henderson led three Pack players in double figures with 17 points. Abdul-Malik Abu and Maverick Rowan each added 16 points.
– Dennis Smith, Jr., was named ACC Freshman of the Week for the third time this season on Monday. Smith opened the week with his second triple-double of the season, scoring 13 points, passing out 15 assists and grabbing 11 rebounds vs. Syracuse. He is just the fourth player in ACC history to record two triple-doubles in a single-season and is the first player in ACC history to register both triple-doubles against an ACC opponent.
– Dennis Smith, Jr, is averaging 18.8 points per game and 6.92 assists per game. His assists per game average would be the highest for an ACC freshman since Georgia Tech’s Kenny Anderson averaged 8.1 apg., in the 1990-91 season.
– In the last six games, junior forward Abdul-Malik Abu is averaging 16.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest. He is shooting 60.3 percent from the field (41-of-68) and has shot at least 60 percent from the field in four of the six games.

Basketball Gameday: Wake Forest vs. NC State (WakeForestSports.com)

DEACS LOOK FOR SEASON SWEEP OF THE WOLFPACK
• Wake Forest hosts NC State Saturday, looking to sweep both regular season meetings with the Wolfpack for the first time since 2004-05
• Having already swept the season series with Boston College, the Deacs look to record two season sweeps in the same season since 2008-09 (Boston College and Clemson)
• Wake is 8-3 at home this season, averaging 86.8 points per game and shooting 49.5 percent from the floor, 42.3 percent from three and 78.3 percent from the line at the LJVM Coliseum

SERIES HISTORY
• NC State leads the series 141-104 (Wake leads 45-30 at home, including 21-6 at LJVM)
• Wake Forest’s 104 wins over the Wolfpack are its most against any opponent
• The Deacs have won the last four meetings in Winston-Salem

THE FIRST MEETING
• Wake defeated NC State 93-88 on Jan. 21 in Raleigh, its first win at PNC Arena since 2005
• The win snapped the Deacs’ 25-game ACC road losing streak
• John Collins had 21 points and nine rebounds to lead Wake Forest
• The Deacs shot 29-33 from the free throw line, including 23-26 in the second half

LAST TIME OUT
• Wake Forest suffered an 88-81 loss at Notre Dame on Tuesday night
• John Collins had 24 points and 14 rebounds for his third straight double-double
• Bryant Crawford had 19 points and five assists