Wake Forest Women’s Basketball: A Strong Start and Looking Ahead
Wake Forest’s women’s basketball team kicked off the season with a solid 71-64 win over Radford. Now, they’re gearing up to face Presbyterian this Thursday evening at 6 p.m. at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
In their first game, the Demon Deacons shone with three players scoring in double figures. Junior guard Mary Carter led the way with 16 points, sinking four three-pointers. Freshman guard Milan Brown made an impressive debut, racking up 10 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, becoming the first Wake Forest freshman to achieve a double-double in her opening game since 2000. Another freshman, Opal Bird, also chipped in with 10 points.
On the other side, Presbyterian comes off a dominating 113-45 victory against Warren Wilson, scoring the most points they’ve managed in a single game since becoming a Division I team in 2007. Allie Sykes led her team with 17 points.
For Thursday’s game, fans can catch the action on the ACC Network Extra or follow live stats here.
Team Performance Insights
On Opening Night, the Deacs recorded 12 assists on 22 baskets, showing good teamwork with Milan Brown and Aurora Sørbye each contributing three assists. Last season, they maintained a strong assist rate, ranking in the top 70 percent nationally. Experts have noted that effective ball movement is crucial for team success, enhancing scoring opportunities.
In that first game, Wake Forest forced 12 turnovers, translating to six points off turnovers. Consistently creating turnovers has been a key part of their strategy. The Deacs have managed to force at least 10 turnovers in 68 of their last 72 games.
Free-Throw Success
The Demon Deacons excelled at the free-throw line, making 20 out of 28. This is their highest free-throw total under coach Megan Gebbia. Interestingly, they shot 11-of-12 from the line in the second half and a perfect 10-of-10 in the fourth quarter. Last season, they were among the top ten teams in free-throw percentage in program history.
Three-Point Shooting
Wake Forest also demonstrated their sharpshooting skills, hitting seven three-pointers, with four coming from Carter. For the 2024-25 season, the team has averaged about 5.5 three-pointers per game. This trend continues a successful streak under Coach Gebbia, where they have hit over 590 threes in three seasons, ranking among the top in Wake Forest’s history.
Looking Ahead
Historically, Wake Forest leads its series against Presbyterian 2-0, having last met in 2009. Their strong defense back then even held Presbyterian to just 25 points.
Following the game against Presbyterian, the Deacs will play Hampton at home on Sunday at 2 p.m.
In conclusion, this young and dynamic Wake Forest team is off to an exciting start. With strong performances and promising talent, fans have much to look forward to this season.
For the latest updates, check out Wake Forest’s social media channels!
