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Game Recap: FSU Dominates Deacs, 75-52

Well, I was right about one thing: this game was WEIRD. Unfortunately, it was the bad kind of weird. Ty Walker got a concussion and Travis McKie had more fouls than points on a night that started out hotly contested and ended as an absolute shaming. I oversimplified a lot when I said Michael Snaer going bonkers was the only reason FSU was winning, but that was definitely the thing that finally put the Deacs to bed.

Of course, part of what opened the perimeter game was the absence of Ty Walker, who got concussed on an elbow to the face (that didn't get any sort of foul call though to be fair it happened so quickly I don't know if it occurred in the flow of play or not) in the first half. Peculiarly, Ty played the rest of the first and didn't get diagnosed until halftime. It won't be a haiku this time, but it will be a rather brief recap since frankly there's not all that much to talk about. However...

After the jump, I talk some brief specifics about this disappointing but not exactly shocking effort...

Star-divide

Some notes:
  • Travis McKie had 9 rebounds but only 3 points...on 13 shots. I can't see Travis ever having a game as bad as this for the rest of his career offensively.
  • Ty Walker was a beast pre-concussion. He had 4 rebounds and 4 blocks in that time. I'm not a religious man but I pray it's not a severe concussion and he won't miss more than a game or two.
  • Tony Chennault had what I'd consider his best game ever overall, 11 points (4-6, 1-1, 2-3,), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 3 TO's, Not only that, but I noticed him sticking to his man pretty well in this one as well. Bottom line is, offensively, TC was genuinely effective.
  • C.J. Harris continued being awesome offensively, but only took 6 shots. 16 points (4-6, 2-3, 6-6), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, a block, and 2 turnovers. C.J. HAS to be more aggressive. Has to.
  • Anthony Fields still didn't play. At all. All I can say at this point is honestly "what the heck?" I don't get it. I don't care that Chennault was doing great. Much of the second half was garbage time. Give him some minutes, jeez.

Honestly, when Ty got concussed, it was over, or at the very least that was the turning point of the game Our interior D suffered and that allowed FSU to open things up, and when Travis McKie goes 1-13 shooting and C.J. Harris only takes 6 shots, Wake has no chance at having a good night offensively, which we obviously needed.

The only good news is: the team we play next is nowhere near as good as the one we played tonight, Travis McKie will more than likely never have a game that bad again, and I'm hoping Ty's concussion isn't very severe considering how long he played after the incident and he didn't appear to be terribly injured. But we never know with concussions.

I'm worried sick about Ty. Also I'm not Bzzout to the level that I think he can or will be justifiably fired at the end of this year, but unless the so-called "Super Six" really are just that, I think I might have an aneurysm if his contract gets extended, at least as of this writing. I don't really know what else to say. At least Clemson is pretty bad I guess?

Someone wanna start a voodoo ritual to heal Ty with me? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller? Bueller? Go Deacs.

--SF

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Re: Fields

I think that Coach Bzdelik is trying to send a message to him. No substantial information, just a hunch.

Wake Forest '12

Mother So Dear

by RAJohnston on Jan 25, 2012 10:13 PM EST reply actions  

Well, isn't that a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy then?

Sigh. Ah well, on to the next one.

Contributing Writer for Blogger So Dear, SBN's Wake Forest Blog

by SamuraiFoochs on Jan 25, 2012 10:27 PM EST up reply actions  

If he did transfer...

it would open up a spot for 2013 that we could likely bring a top 100 kid into.

I hate saying that about a kid because I do like Fields and the energy/enthusiasm he brings, but just looking at it that way.

Wake Forest '12

Mother So Dear

by RAJohnston on Jan 25, 2012 10:43 PM EST up reply actions  

As much as I hate to think about this

It’s true. I really like Fields though. Hopefully he sticks around

by willisb_rad2 on Jan 25, 2012 10:50 PM EST up reply actions  

Question

Let’s just imagine that Bzdelik doesn’t get a job next year. If this happens, who’s up? Battle, LaRue, or someone outside? Also, what is Randolph Childress doing at all the games? Is he on staff now?

Wake Forest University: Her sons, they are many, Unrivaled by any

by lets-go-dea-cons on Jan 26, 2012 12:14 PM EST up reply actions  

Battle

Probably should’ve gotten the job ahead of Dino, but asked off because of his wife’s condition.

Rusty would be a debacle.

The Chosen One is an assistant AD for basketball relations or something. All hail the return of the Chosen One!

by quzybuk on Jan 26, 2012 1:03 PM EST up reply actions  

Oh, another option...

Tim Fuller (an alum from the Odom days) is a rising name in the assistant ranks. He’s got a reputation as a dynamite recruiter (he left Louisville for Mizzou when Haith went there, as Haith is the one who recruited him here).

Not sure if Wellman would have the stones to do that, but I think we could do a lot worse than take a shot.

by quzybuk on Jan 26, 2012 1:06 PM EST up reply actions  

I'd love to land Tim Fuller

Blogger So Dear

"Meet me on the Quad at midnight" Skip Prosser

by BJohnston on Jan 26, 2012 2:14 PM EST up reply actions  

I would too.

He might represent our long-term best case scenario. He might also consider us a destination job.

by quzybuk on Jan 26, 2012 2:36 PM EST up reply actions  

These games...

are just hard to watch. They looked absolutely horrible. The gods of sports hate me. Do you think it’s because I haven’t gone to church? Maybe this is my fault. Maybe something’s punishing me for being a Cowboy fan. Make this pain go away.

Wake Forest University: Her sons, they are many, Unrivaled by any

by lets-go-dea-cons on Jan 26, 2012 12:12 AM EST reply actions   1 recs

Yup

We are unacceptably bad. Losing conference games like this, just like the losses last year to similarly situated teams, shows no appreciable gains on any significant scale. Sick of it.

by Grand Tanyon Sturtze on Jan 26, 2012 12:53 PM EST up reply actions  

I'm traumatized!

You’re being sarcastic! Keep beating that dead horse. Then back over it. Run over again. Rinse & repeat. You know your dad, as you’ve mentioned multiple times is a Wake Forest alum and faculty-member, would be ashamed of that conduct toward another member of the WF family. Poo-poo & tsk-tsk.

by Grand Tanyon Sturtze on Jan 26, 2012 1:05 PM EST up reply actions  

I didn't say I disagreed with you.

I don’t like losing to the non-basketball schools any more than the rest of y’all.

by quzybuk on Jan 26, 2012 1:09 PM EST up reply actions  

And actually...

…my dad would mostly be ashamed that I was on here while I’m at work.

by quzybuk on Jan 26, 2012 1:12 PM EST up reply actions  

Meh

Whatever, my dad’s ashamed for a majority of my life decisions. I appreciate the quick response to my question though. So no chance of RW looking outside?

Wake Forest University: Her sons, they are many, Unrivaled by any

by lets-go-dea-cons on Jan 26, 2012 1:22 PM EST up reply actions  

It could happen, I guess...

There are a bunch of factors at play here:

1) Getting a successful coach after firing two coaches in rapid succession. Established coaches will be less likely to work here if Wellman is viewed as having an itchy trigger finger, which could lead to a hit-or-miss shot at an assistant or low-major coach.

2) Firing Bzdelik will be an admission that a large portion of the fanbase is unhappy with his previous hire. Thus, winning over the fanbase becomes a priority. Internal candidates (particularly Randolph) will be more likely to do that, which will in turn relieve pressure on Wellman himself.

No one will EVER convince me that Wellman fired Gaudio believing he could get Brad Stevens as a replacement. He was at the Final Four when this whole thing went down, and it was a huge shock when Stevens elected to stay put. It would’ve been a home run hire, for sure. Now? I think someone like Gregg Marshall (at Wichita State, formerly at Winthrop) would be a fantastic hire, but there’s a legitimate question of whether he would agree to come here given the storm surrounding our program. Not to mention I have no idea where the money to pay Gaudio’s buyout, Bzdelik’s buyout, and a new coach will come from.

My guess is that not enough pressure gets exerted on Wellman to make a change, so Bzdelik’s here at least one more year. And given the fact that some national analysts (Seth Davis, you know who you are) are STILL bashing us for firing Gaudio so quickly, it would reflect poorly on the athletic department as a whole if we fired yet another coach so fast.

by quzybuk on Jan 26, 2012 1:44 PM EST up reply actions  

Nice Encapsulation

I agree that Bzdelik will stay another year. I’m neither pleased nor horrified by this. I stated before that I won’t defend him, but I am going to relax and pray that Bzdelik is the greatest mentor the basketball universe has ever seen and that he just needs one more year to develop this young group of athletes.

This whole thing has been such an imbroglio. Skip died, Dino couldn’t guide the players with authority, Stevens fell through, and now we have Jeff. That’s why I can’t get mad at him or Wellman. What I’m about to say may seem trite and self-pitying, but it’s also true: Wake Forest hasn’t had a fair shake in a while.

Wake Forest University: Her sons, they are many, Unrivaled by any

by lets-go-dea-cons on Jan 26, 2012 2:19 PM EST up reply actions  

Not surprised you showed up today. You have been absent after all the wins but always manage to provide negative input after a loss.

by JoshuaR on Jan 26, 2012 7:49 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions  

Play nice fella

When you speak, be constructive, some people work. Not sorry I didn’t get to comment on the BC game, I’ll tell my colleagues at work that I need to time off to comment so you won’t pick a fight with me.

Btw, nice blog nobody reads, lol

by Grand Tanyon Sturtze on Jan 30, 2012 1:22 AM EST up reply actions  

Play nice fella …When you speak, be constructive
Btw, nice blog nobody reads, lol

Hypocrite.

Funny how you always find time to comment after a loss but you are always busy after a win.

by JoshuaR on Jan 30, 2012 12:16 PM EST up reply actions  

lol

You must be one jobless, angry tyke to find time to dig into people when they’re at work so as to demean their POV. Keep on penning personal demerits kiddo, I won’t associate with you.

Simplified, you may attack me but I’ll only respond to MRickman if you just show up to insult my participation on this blog by calling me a troll and disloyal. People who write here do it for a reason, because they want WF to do well. If you show up to just say this to me:

Not surprised you showed up today. You have been absent after all the wins but always manage to provide negative input after a loss.

You’ll be reported. Which I’ve done.

by Grand Tanyon Sturtze on Jan 30, 2012 10:41 PM EST up reply actions  

Maybe I shouldn’t have mocked Tebow so much. That’s the one. Tebow. Or, maybe this is because of the time I made the “Foul! Ugly on Duhon” sign my freshman year…was that too mean, God? Why? Why? Why?

Wake Forest University: Her sons, they are many, Unrivaled by any

by lets-go-dea-cons on Jan 26, 2012 12:16 AM EST reply actions  

You're a Wake fan.

Suffering is your lot in life. But it makes the good times all the more sweeter.

by quzybuk on Jan 26, 2012 10:24 AM EST up reply actions  

the good times are so few and far between…

by deacdiggler on Jan 26, 2012 12:05 PM EST up reply actions  

We had a pretty good run from Duncan through 2004.

The worst result was either an NIT Championship or the Butler debacle.

Even though I still think Dave Odom was a crappy coach.

by quzybuk on Jan 26, 2012 1:02 PM EST up reply actions  

You'll get no argument from me, Martin.

Frankly I want a young star mid-major coach really badly.

Contributing Writer for Blogger So Dear, SBN's Wake Forest Blog

by SamuraiFoochs on Jan 26, 2012 7:41 PM EST up reply actions  

If we could lure Buzz Williams, I will make my first donation to the Deacon Club. He makes a ton of money at Marquette but he may want to jump with the Big East falling apart. At least that is how I am keeping hope alive.

by JoshuaR on Jan 26, 2012 7:48 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions  

My list, broken down into categories...

My Ideal Coach: Roy Williams (UNC)

No Chance in Hell: Brad Stevens (Butler), Chris Mack (Xavier)

Maybe With Enough Money: Buzz Williams (Marquette), Fran Dunphy (Temple)

Mid-Majors: Gregg Marshall (Wichita State), Shaka Smart (VCU)

The Turncoats: Matt Doherty (SMU), Herb Sendek (Arizona State)

Assistants: Tim Fuller (Missouri)

Already on Staff: Jeff Battle, Randolph Childress

I Will Cry: Rusty LaRue

by quzybuk on Jan 26, 2012 10:37 PM EST up reply actions  

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