Wake got off to a sloppy start but ultimately held on 78-73 to top the UMBC Retrievers in the season opener for both teams in Winston-Salem.
In what most would consider a lackluster effort, Wake Forest ultimately held off a scrappy UMBC team by a 78-73 final. The Retrievers seemingly drained three after three, making 9 total shots from beyond the arc, as the Deacs were a step slow across the defensive front throughout the game. Hindered by a shallow backcourt, both Devin Thomas and Dinos Mitoglou provided a dominant inside presence to lift Wake offensively as Thomas put up 21 points and 17 boards while Mitoglou chipped in 19 points and 16 rebounds.