Wake Forest will need to avoid becoming greedy early in the season.
The Demon Deacons will try to pounce on another opponent when Morehead State visits for Friday night’s game at Winston-Salem, N.C.
But coach Steve Forbes is directing his team to pay attention to the details.
Coming off an 88-74 season-opening victory against visiting American on Monday night, there were glitches to address.
Wake Forest needs to tighten up defensively, Forbes said. The team’s 16 steals might have made the Demon Deacons think that they could take risks.
“We gambled a little too much,” Forbes said. “There were times when we got beat off the dribble a little too much.”
Forbes said he expects better perimeter shooting than the team’s 1-for-12 mark on uncontested 3-point attempts in the opener.
Morehead State, meanwhile, had a tussle before securing an 89-84 home victory against Midway to begin its season. Jon Carroll, a transfer center, scored 20 points, while Josiah LeGree, in his team debut since transferring from Indiana State, scored all 12 of his points in the second half and delivered eight assists.
“We got to come out with better energy,” LeGree said. “Taking that second-half energy and coming in with that in the first half and second half for all our opponents coming up.”
The Eagles are stressing creating a bond in advance of their first-ever meeting with Wake Forest.
“If we can continue to play unselfish basketball, we can have a great season,” said Morehead State coach Jonathan Mattox. “We have a group that is striving to be elite on a daily basis.”
For Morehead State guard Chase Dawson, it will be a return to his home state. He’s from Durham, while he played for Division II Mount Olive last season and was named the Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year. Dawson was in the starting lineup against Midway, but he was held to two points in 23 minutes.
