2019-20 Wake Forest men's basketball preview

Overview: Since its elimination in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament three years ago, the Demon Deacons have taken quite the turn, posting back to back 11-win, 20-loss campaigns while only winning four conference games each year. With the ACC switching to a 20-game schedule this year, the road doesn’t get any easier for Manning’s squad, having to face the likes of Duke and UNC twice each and other formidable foes throughout the year—including opening the season against Boston College. However, the Demon Deacons return the lion’s share of their points and minutes from last year, having a strong (and now experienced) core that centers around Brandon Childress and Chaundee Brown. The team suffered on offense last year, with no player shooting a consistent 50% from the field, but the guard heavy lineup will look to get up the court in transition and score easy buckets, not having to rely on its half-court offense.

One thing that needs to go right: The experience of this team must show. It can pull off a few key upsets in conference play if it controls its collective emotions and runs at opponents.

One thing that could go wrong: The team cannot recover from the production loss of Jaylen Hoard, the only one-and-done in program history.