The Syracuse game this was not. Even though the Deacs fell by 15 in Chapel Hill, I'm honestly not as upset as one might think. UNC looks like a legitimate title contender, and while Wake Forest was outclassed, there were long stretches of play that, while not brilliant, were gritty, competitive, and encouraging.
The Ups
The Freshmen. To a man,, the Deacon newcomers had great performances. Bryant Crawford was a floor general, racking up 18 points (5-16 shooting, 2-6 from deep, but a strong 6-7 from the line), 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal.