Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes on NC State: ‘I’ve been very impressed’

For most of the season, Wake Forest has been able to keep its turnovers to around 10 per game. But in its last two contests, the Demon Deacons have given the ball away 20 and 17 times, respectively, at Florida State and against Virginia. 

“We really haven’t had turnover issues this year until the last couple games,” Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes said during the ACC’s weekly media Zoom call Monday. “I do think it’s going to be really important tomorrow night that we don’t do that. We’ll see how much we’ve grown up from Florida State a week ago to playing NC State. It’s the same type of deal.”

Like Florida State, NC State will pressure Wake Forest’s ball handlers when the two teams square off Tuesday night at PNC Arena. The Wolfpack will try to speed up the Demon Deacons and steal the ball. And with how Wake Forest’s past two games have gone, the Pack might be able to find some success in that department. 

NC State has logged a positive turnover margin in all but three of its games this season, and Forbes knows the Wolfpack will try to do that against his squad. It’s Kevin Keatts’ calling card on defense, and the Demon Deacons are expecting nothing to change. 

“They’re going to play the same way Kevin’s teams always play: aggressive, fast on offense, a lot of ball screens, play off the post and they’re going to press you,” Forbes said. “They’re going to put a lot of pressure on the ball. They’ve got a really nice team. I’ve watched a few of their games, and I’ve been very impressed.”

Forbes hasn’t been impressed with just the Pack’s defense. He raved about NC State’s guards, especially freshman Dennis Parker Jr., and he had nothing but praise for Wolfpack graduate forward DJ Burns, in particular. 

The Demon Deacons’ fourth-year coach was at awe with Burns’ ability to make plays for others — and his 45 assists to 28 turnovers this season in the post. 

“I don’t know if I’ve seen a 5-man with a 2-1 assist-to-turnover ratio,” Forbes said. “He might have the best assist-to-turnover ratio of any 5-man I’ve ever coached against. He’s kind of like a point-5.”

And while he was impressed with Burns’ ability to swing the ball around, Forbes said one of the Demon Deacons’ biggest challenges will be on how to guard Burns. If they double him in the post, he can pass out of it. If Wake Forest decides to play him straight up, Burns could go to work in the low block with his bag of tricks to get to the rim. 

Which one will Wake Forest choose? That’s to be determined. Notre Dame doubled Burns, while Virginia didn’t do it much. North Carolina mixed it up throughout the game, which seemed to be the most effective route in league play this season. 

“You got to figure out how you’re going to guard Burns,” Forbes said. “It’s a hard thing because when you go to double him, I think he wants to pass it more than he wants to shoot it. I think he really enjoys passing the ball and getting his teammates involved. He’s a fabulous passer, and he’s very nimble for a guy his size. It’s a tough guard.”

It will be something to watch to see how Wake Forest decides to attack Burns when he has the ball in his hands on the offensive end of the floor, but the Demon Deacons are also working to find ways to win away from Winston-Salem. 

Wake Forest is 10-0 at home this season — and NC State will visit them on Feb. 10, but the Demon Deacons are just 1-2 in true road games, including a loss at Florida State on Jan. 9. 

“We won at Boston College, but you have to win multiple games on the road to have a chance to get where we want to go. The next step for them is to go on the road and do it. We’ve obviously done it at home … but I believe the next step is to go win a game at NC State or wherever the next game is. You got to go on the road and win, and that’s just the way it is.”