Deja vú becoming less bearable for Men’s Basketball

This article represents the view of Nat Wiegmann, not the Old Gold & Black. 

Saying Wake Forest Men’s Basketball’s 72-69 loss to Florida State was frustrating would be an understatement- but it did not come as a surprise. 

Time and time again, the program’s hopes of making the NCAA Tournament have come crashing down in the most infuriating way: losing games they had every reason to win just as the path to March Madness became clear.

Last year was a prime example. After a massive home win over No. 8 Duke and a strong regular season up to that point, it felt like the Demon Deacons had finally turned a corner. Yet, instead of capitalizing on their momentum, they fell apart, losing three straight games and watching their tournament hopes disappear.

This year, it’s the same story. Just as ESPN’s Joe Lunardi moved Wake Forest into the “Last Four In” for the NCAA Tournament, they suffered a crushing home loss to the Seminoles—a game where they were not only heavy favorites but were also up by 14 at halftime.

It wasn’t just that they lost; it was how they lost that made it unbearable. With 24 seconds left and a two-point lead, all Wake Forest had to do was avoid giving up a three. Instead, they did precisely that, leaving Florida State’s Taylor Bol wide open for a three-pointer that put the Seminoles up by one. Then, to make matters worse, Demon Deacons point guard Ty-Laur Johnson inexplicably launched a desperation three from near midcourt with 13 seconds still left on the clock.

This kind of execution down the stretch is inexcusable, especially at such a pivotal time of the season. With the ACC experiencing another down year (projecting to send four or five teams to the NCAA Tournament), the Demon Deacons have little margin for error. Fans entered this season with high expectations, and yet again, it looks like those hopes will be crushed.

However, the frustration with this team extends far beyond one loss to Florida State. This is one of the most talented rosters Steve Forbes has had in his six seasons at Wake Forest, yet they have underperformed in ways people did not expect. For a team with tournament aspirations, ranking 348th in the country in three-point percentage (29.2%) is a joke.

It’s not just the lack of shooting, either. A routine inability to execute in crunch time has been a consistent theme under Forbes, and that is just as much a coaching issue as much as a player issue. When the game is on the line, Wake Forest doesn’t look like a team that knows how to win. They hesitate, force bad shots and make inexplicable decisions — just like they did against Florida State.

This isn’t just a one-off issue. Under Forbes, Wake Forest has consistently struggled in must-win games. They’ve yet to make an NCAA Tournament appearance, and in critical late-season moments, they seem to crumble under pressure rather than rise to the occasion. Forbes has undoubtedly risen the program from the depths of the Danny Manning era, but when do the excuses run out? Wake Forest has not made the NCAA Tournament since 2017 and has not won a tournament game since 2010.

The season isn’t technically over, but the road to the tournament will be even more challenging. The Demon Deacons likely need to win out (other than at No. 2 Duke) and make a deep ACC Tournament run to have any shot at hearing their name called on Selection Sunday.

This was supposed to be the year — the year Wake Forest Men’s Basketball finally broke through. Instead, it looks like another season ending in disappointment. The frustration is stacking for a fan base that has waited over a decade to see their team return to relevance. Unless something changes fast, Wake Forest basketball will remain stuck in the same cycle of heartbreak, and the Steve Forbes era may end sooner rather than later.