Originally Posted by
CDu
Wake is a significant step up from what we faced yesterday, both in talent and experience. They are, performance-wise, not too dissimilar from State, although they accomplish it quite differently. Like State, they have a pretty good offense (slightly better) but bad defense (slightly worse). Unlike State, they don’t play particularly fast. They are a terrific shooting team, both on 3s and at the line. They defend 3s very poorly however.
Centers: Doral Moore (7’1”, 250lb junior) is the man in the middle. Moore is a huge presence, though not a particularly skilled one. Very dangerous around the rim thanks to his size and reasonable athleticism, but away from the rim he is awful. Moore rebounds, blocks shots, and dunks. Anything else is gravy. Foul trouble is Moore’s issue. He averages 3 fouls per 22.5 mpg. When Moore sits, Olivier Sarr (7’0”, 215lb freshman from France) fills in. Sarr is a decent shooter with range out to 3pt land. But he is paper-thin, and not much of a presence inside.
Forwards: If I had to pick a weakness for the Deacs (aside from defense), it would be at forward. They just aren’t great here. Terrence Thompson (6’7”, 215lb senior transfer from Marshall) is the de facto PF. Thompson is a solid rebounder, and a decent shooter. But not a guy who jumps off the page aside from effort. Behind him is Donovan Mitchell (6’8”, 215lb soph). Mitchell is a pure stretch four. He is a fantastic shooter snd should not be left open. He is a bad defender, though, which probably explains his limited minutes. He should not be confused with former Louisville star guard Donovan Mitchell. They are not afraid to go with four guard/wings either.
Wings: This is an area of strength for Wake. Keyshawn Woods (6’3”, 190lb junior transfer from Charlotte) is a terrific shooter and shot creator. He is one of the best shooters in the country. A must-cover, no questions asked. Freshman Chaundey Brown (6’5”, 215lb) is the other starter. Brown is a terrific athlete who plays with strength, and also a pretty good shooter. Off the bench, Mitchell Wilbekin (6’2”, 165lb senior, Scottie’s little bro) is the primary option. Wilbekin is a shooter (45.6% 3pt), and little else. He is awful inside the arc.
Guards: This really could just be a continuation of the previous section. Bryant Crawford (6’3”, 195lb junior) is the Deacs’ star. He is a combo guard through and through. Quite capable of scoring or distributing, though he is a better scorer than passer. Crawford is strong and athletic, and a pretty good shooter too. He has historically given us fits, and is a handful who may just wind up in the NBA. Crawford will also play SG some when Brandon Childress (6’0”, 190lb soph, Randolph’s kid) comes in. Childress has improved a good bit from last year. He plays with a fire and fearlessness, and can be a real pain. He can lose his cool, as seen in the Allen shove last year. A streaky shooter who isn’t afraid to take it into the trees.
As you can tell, Wake’s strength is their shooting. Seven of their nine regulars shoot 35+% from 3, and one who doesn’t is a bad shooter himself. They will certainly test our defense’s progress. They aren’t just shooters - they have 3-4 guys who are dynamic with the ball in their hands. Conversely, they are bad defensively. I don’t expact this game to have less than 170 points scored.
