Huge Win for the Thunder as Shai Drops 40 By Miles Laskowski

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) performed great in this pivotal game 6 for the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Minnesota Timberwolves. SGA led the team in points, rebounds and assists. He had a great supporting cast as well in this game. And that consists of Chet Holmgret and Jaylen Williams. Holmgret had a total of 21 points which helped this team a ton in this game. Williams' performance was stellar; he had 34 points, which was the second most on the team. Holmgret had three blocks in this game which can be huge down the stretch in the playoffs. 

The Timberwolves did not have their best game getting only 16 points from their star player Anthony Edwards. Nickeil Alexander Walker who is SGA’s cousin had a total of 23 points off the bench and bench points are key as these points led the team. Dante Divencino had 21 points off the bench. Jaden McDaniels had a big game as well, hitting some early threes and knocking down good shots. But in the end it wasn’t enough for the Timberwolves and they took a big loss. These two teams will face off on Wednesday in Oklahoma City.

College Football Conference Ideal Realignment by Grant Potoczny

College football is changing rapidly, and one of those changes is conference realignment. Now some of these teams you’re never sure where they will go and I can’t predict where they’ll go, so I’ll be going over best case scenarios.

Taking the Top Teams from the FCS

Montana State- Montana State was a top team getting to the FCS championship and losing to North Dakota State. Montana State would be a great pick-up for some of these smaller conferences because it reaches into a new territory due to the lack of FBS teams in the Northern-Midwest, so I would put them in a Grouper 5 or Big 12.

South Dakota State- South Dakota State is a team that is always on top of the FCS. They are consistently fighting for the FCS championship with North Dakota State and are again in uncharted territory for the FBS, so I would say either they go to a Grouper 5 or the Big 12.

North Dakota State- North Dakota State is arguably the best team to ever exist in the FCS. They have won 10 of the last 14 FCS championships and have completely dominated the FCS. Again it’s in uncharted territory for the FBS, which the reason why it’s so important, is that it introduces a whole new audience to the FBS, which i why I think they belong in also go to a Group of 5 or Big 12.

Picking Out the American Conference

UTSA- UTSA is typically pretty consistent in being at least a decent team. They bring in a decent amount of money and they have a decent following, although they aren’t good enough for the SEC or Big Ten I do feel like they would be good enough for Big-12 or PAC-12.

Tulane- Tulane is also a very consistent team, with a larger fanbase than most Grouper 5 schools. They actually have had some great seasons over the last few years and could maybe be middle of the pack in some of these worse Power 5 Conferences, so I would place them in the Pac-12 because they desperately need more teams.

Tulsa- Tulsa has been really struggling, but with some of these conferences struggling, some other Grouper 5 schools will be brought in, that they could maybe compete with. The reason why they might be a team to grab is because there are not a huge amount of teams in Oklahoma, so they might be a good pick up for the Pac-12.

Choosing from Conference USA

Western Kentucky- Western Kentucky probably has one the larger fanbases in Grouper 5 conferences. Western Kentucky is at least decent every year and puts up a decent record. They don’t belong in the Big Ten or SEC but could survive in the Big-12.

Liberty- Liberty is always pretty solid and there aren’t any really strong teams in Virginia. Liberty has some richer alumni, which might help them build an even stronger team with NIL, which could make them a good contender for the SEC and Big Ten in the future, but right now they would be good for the Big-12.

Jacksonville State- Jacksonville State, again, is always pretty solid. Jacksonville State ended the season at the top of Conference USA, and is at the top of their conference pretty consistently. They also could start a natural rivalry since they are close to Florida State and Miami, which is why I think the ACC is good for them.

New Teams From the Mountain West

For the Mountain West the conference is so bad I think that only 2 teams will be worth bringing into a Power 5 conference.

UNLV- UNLV is consistently near the top of their conference and is in an area where there really isn't much competition for an audience and should bring in good money to the conference. They also should keep improving because they have rich alumni and I think they belong in the PAC 12.

Boise State- Boise State really needs no explanation to be on this list. They won their conference, went to the college playoff, and built one of the best college football running backs to ever exist. They have a lot of potential, in an area with no other teams to compete with an audience for. This is a really strong team and they are up north. I would say that they would actually be middle of the pack in the SEC or Big Ten, so I would say that they might belong in the Big Ten.

Derailing the MAC

Miami (OH)- Miami (OH) is always solid. They come in the top of the MAC almost every year, and are really solid. Unfortunately for them, they are around Ohio State which takes away viewers, but still have a decent amount of fans. With how they play I would say that they deserve to be in the Big 12 also.

Ohio- Ohio is also always pretty solid. I would say that Bowling Green and Ohio are very similar in most aspects. I do think that Bowling Green is slightly better though, but since they are still pretty solid and a little better than Miami (OH) I would say that they belong in the Big 12 also.

Bowling Green- Bowling Green has actually had some really competitive games this season with some good teams. They’ve actually done better than some of the Big Ten teams have done against an opponent like Penn State. Although I don’t think they belong in the Big Ten, I think that they could fare well in the Big 12. 

(I didn’t get lazy, all these teams are in Ohio, so geographically they should go to the Big 12)

Taking From The Sun Belt

James Madison- James Madison is also always pretty good. It seems like every year they show up in a close game, or even beat a really good team. They might struggle with fans since they are so close to Wisconsin, but they definitely deserve to be in a better conference like the Big 12.

Marshall- Marshall is a lot like James Madison, they’re in the North part of the Midwest, sort of overshadowed by a powerhouse in the state (Ohio State), and always seem to have one really good game each year against a top team. Due to geography they are tough to line up with a fitting conference, but I would say that they belong in the Big 12.

Louisiana- Louisiana is always pretty good. This year they made a push for the playoffs, won their conference, and were just solid all around. The only problem with them is that they do have to compete with LSU for fans, but they are completely deserving to be in a better conference, which is why I would place them in the Big 12.

To The Biggest

For this section I will choose the best teams from each Power 4 conference that are not in the Big 10 or SEC to go to one of the conferences.

SMU- SMU is not a historically great program, but with NIL I do think that they can make a really good team in the two biggest conferences, and yes I think they would be better than Miami and Clemson, since in such a short period of time they became such a good team. Because of geography I do think that they belong in the SEC.

Iowa State- Iowa State is just such a solid team year after year, even though the Sun Devils were better than them this year I do think Iowa State will be more consistent, this would also give Iowa another rival. So for those reasons I think they belong in the Big 10.

Notre Dame- Notre Dame is the crown jewel of what each conference wants. Notre Dame is always in a playoff run, and can always compete with these really good teams. Do they always lose to teams like Ohio State, yes, but are they good enough to beat Penn State, also yes. The problem for Penn State is that they have no really competitive, natural rivalry. They always lose to Ohio State, always crush Rutgers, but I think Notre Dame, being the just two states over, would bring a natural competitive rivalry. That is why I think Notre Dame belongs in the Big 10.

NBA Playoff Update #3 by Marshall Laskowski

The NBA playoffs are in the final stretch. The Western Conference and Eastern Conference finals are halfway through. The series has been pretty lopsided thus far. The East is Pacers and Knicks, and the Pacers lead 2-1 with Game 4 tonight. In the West, it is 3-1 Thunder over the Minnesota Timberwolves. I will go in-depth about how these teams got here and how the playoffs will finish out.

Let’s start with the Knicks, they won their first series in 6 games against the Pistons. That was a fun series, but almost everyone knew the Knicks were going to walk away with it. Then the fun began in New York after the Knicks took a commanding 3-1 lead over the Celtics; the city was on fire. The Jalen Brunson-led Knicks then won in 6 and advanced to their first Eastern Conference finals in 25 years. They find themselves in a bit of a hole down 2-1, but got a big comeback win in game three. They have the talent to win this series.

Next up is the Pacers, another team that has gone on a fun ride through the playoffs. They steamrolled the Bucks in 5 in the first round, capped off by a Tyrese Haliburton game winner in game 5. Then, Indy took on the best team in the East, the Cavs. The Cavs were the favorite, but the Pacers had the magic and took down Cleveland in 5 and moved to the ECF. Now they go toe-to-toe with New York. Haliburton has been amazing in clutch time with three game-winning shots this postseason. They look to take a commanding 3-1 lead tonight at 8 PM. 

Then we’ve got the almighty Thunder. They breezed past the Grizzlies in a four-game sweep, which we all expected. However, in the second round, they ran into some trouble but ended up squeaking out a 7-game series win against the Nuggets. Now they have a big 3-1 lead over the young and talented Twolves. This team can win it all, they just need to play well. 

Finally, there is the Timberwolves. They seemed unbeatable in the first two rounds after taking out Lebron and Curry in five games. This series against the Thunder has not gone very well due to the lack of play from Anthony Edwards. They will need him to step up big in order to pull off a comeback in this series.

I think that the finals matchup will be the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New York Knicks. This would be a great matchup that I think the Thunder would take in 7 games. There is no way the Thunder can blow a 3-1 lead the way they have played, and the Knicks will just need to play better and with a little luck, they should be in the finals. 

Wake Forest early exit in ACC Baseball Tournament By: Andrew Zajac

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons have exited in the second round of the ACC Baseball Tournament after a heartbreaking loss to the California Golden Bears 14-12 on 5/21/25. 

The Deacs made the tournament as the eighth seed after a tragic collapse at the end of the season losing series to Clemosn, UNC, Virginia Tech, and Boston College. The Golden Bears on the other hand, cruised through their first round matchup against Miami and secured the upset, then got the upper hand early and never gave it back in this game against Wake. Wake Forest finished the season with a 36-20 record and a 16-14 conference record. They started the year with a 15-3 record and swept Notre Dame and Miami to start the ACC year, then had a generational collapse only winning two of their last six ACC weekend series. Stars such as Marek Houston, Dalton Wentz, Matt Scannell, and Kade Lewis put this team on their back and carried them through the gauntlet of ACC play while they mightily struggled with their pitching with early-year stars such as Logan Lunceford, and Matt Dallas seemed to get worse as the year went on. Superstar returning first-baseman Jack Winnay had a very disappointing season as well, with his plate discipline really declining as the year progressed. The team as a whole went from a pre-season top 15 team, to dropping out of the rankings entirely by the end of the year.

Now the good side: The Demon Deacons still have a good shot at making a deep postseason run and maybe even the College Baseball World Series in Omaha in June. They will most likely be the second or third seed out of four at any regional in the nation. Even though they don’t have a shot at the coveted ACC Baseball Championship trophy, they still have a shot at Omaha.

• I want to thank Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Harper, and Mr. Cimino for helping and encouraging me in my newspaper journey and nurturing my love for sports writing. They all gave me ideas when I had none, and I really enjoyed my time writing for the PFMS times and in their classes. I hope to continue at the high school and eventually in college. Thank you to them for playing a big role in that dream. 

NBA Playoffs Update Number Two by Marshall Laskowski

The NBA playoffs are wrapping up, and they have been pretty exciting with many surprises as well. We have a couple of series that are in games 6 and 7 in both the West and East, but after those are over, we will have the conference finals set. I will update you on the remaining games and give you my prediction of how it will finish. 

The series in the West is the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets. The series is tied at 3-3, and game 7 will be at 3:30 on Sunday, May 18th. This series has been back and forth between the two excellent teams. The Thunder are the one seed and were excellent all year, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. They were up 3-2 last night with a chance to win it, but lost in the end, which led to game 7. The Nuggets are the four seed and have tons of experience in this spot, led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. I think game 7 will go back and forth and come down to the wire, but the Nuggets' experience will pay off, and they will advance to play the Timberwolves in the Western Conference final.

The series in the East is the Knicks and Celtics, which is 3-2 New York leading. The Knicks fans are on a high and have so much energy going into games 6 and 7. Jalen Brunson has been balling out for this team and has been so much fun to watch. The Celtics trailed 3-1 but came back to win game 5 and make it 3-2 even with Jayson Tatum out for the playoffs with a torn achilles. Game 6 will be tonight at 8 and should be a ton of fun in Madison Square Garden. I think the Knicks will get it done tonight and move on to face the Pacers.

The two teams that are already set in the conference finals are the Timberwolves, led by Ant, and the Pacers, led by Haliburton. Ant has been on an absolute tear and led his team to this point by taking down the Lakers and Warriors in 5. I think the Twolves are going to move on to the NBA finals and take down whoever they play. The other series I think the Pacers are going to have trouble and run out of playoff magic from Haliburton and probably go down in this round. 

The wrap-up of these playoffs should be fun and exciting, and I can’t wait to watch it!

Mariners On A Tear by Marshall Laskowski

The Seattle Mariners are on fire. They have won 9 series in a row. The Astros were the first victim during this run when they took two out of three from them. Next up was the Rangers, whom they swept, and that is truly when things started to go really well for this squad. Then the Reds, whom they took two of three from, with two of the wins being fun, and got the boys going. Next, the Blue Jays, whom they also took two of three from, and that is when the offense started to come alive, as that aspect of the team was carrying them. Rowdy Tellez and Cal Raleigh were big in that series. After that were the Red Sox in Fenway, which had the whole fanbase's vibes up.  The next team they beat twice was the lowly Marlins, whom they killed 14-0 in Game 2 of the series. Then they won both games of a two-game series against the Angels for their seventh straight series win. Then they took another two from the Rangers in Texas, including a 13-1 win in the first game. In their ninth and final series, they took the last two of three from the “Sacramento” A’s, including a huge comeback win yesterday. 

The offense has carried them throughout this stretch, which is a big surprise because that was the low point for the team last year. They have been led by Jorge Polanco, who can’t get out, Cal Raleigh, who leads the MLB in homers, and JP Crawford has been a bright spot. The key has been hitting up and down the lineup and striking out much less. The pitching has been good enough to keep them in these games, and Andres Munoz, the closer, has yet to give up a run. The all-time record for series wins is 15, and hopefully, this team can reach it. They have been a lot of fun to watch, and they can definitely reach the playoffs or further. They are currently 2nd in the entire AL, only behind the Detroit Tigers. 

Anthony Edwards: A Force to Be Reckoned With...by Miles Laskowski

Anthony Edwards has taken down two of the greatest players of all time in the past two years in the playoffs. He swept Kevin Durant arguably the greatest forward of all time last year in round one. Then this year he won in five games over Lebron James, who is the second greatest player of all time…not to mention Luka Doncic of the Lakers too. Also the Timberwolves were the 6 seed and the Lakers were the 3 seed. 

Now in the second round he is playing the greatest shooter of all time (Steph Curry) and Jimmy Butler. If the Timberwolves win this series, then Anthony Edwards would’ve taken down three of the greatest players of all time. The Warriors have an early lead in the series 1-0 taking down the Timberwolves by 11 in Minnesota. Steph Curry is out with injury, but Edwards still has stop Butler. They play again tonight at 8:30 on TNT. 

MLB First Quarter by Quinn Cunningham

How has the first month of the MLB gone? 

The first month of the MLB is up and there have been some surprises during the first month. 

First off to start with division leaders the Yankees lead the AL East with an record of  21-16  Aaron Judge has had an hot start to the year leading the Yankees with an batting average of 415 with seven home runs, 26 RBIs and 39 hits. 

The Tigers Are leading the AL Central with an record of 23-13 the Tigers young stars have been showing out. Spencer Torkleson leads the team with 10 home runs and 28 RBIs. Also Javier Baez the veteran had his first ever start in Center field.

The Mariners lead the AL West with a record of 22-14.

The New York Mets lead the NL East with a record of 24-14 Pete Alonso the two time home run derby champ leads the Mets with a Batting Average of home runs and 26 RBI’s. Surprisingly after striking a 15-year 765M dollar deal Juan Soto has three home runs and 12 RBI’s he has started to heat up after a rough start to the season. 

The Cubs are 22-16 leading the NL Central Kyle Tucker coming over from the Astros is leading the team with nine home runs, 31 RBI’s and a batting average of  .284 .The Cubs have had a surprising start to the season after starting 0-3 and having back to back rough seasons. 

The Dodgers lead the NL west with a record of 25-12 Hernandez leads the Dodgers with a batting average of .315 Hernandez also leads the Dodgers with 34 RBIs and 41 hits. Ohtani leads the Dodgers with 10 home runs on the season. 

Top 10 College Baseball Uniforms by Andrew Zajac

Top 10 College Baseball Uniforms

Image Source: Baseball America

Top 5 Jordan 1’s by Aidan Murphy

Image Source: Nike

The Air Jordan 1 is without a doubt the most popular Jordan model available. So, I’m going to be listing my top 5 favorites.

5. “Obsidian”

Calm colors that work great together.

4. “Dark Mocha”

Works well with dark outfits.

3. “Bred”

The red and black are a classic combination.

2. “University Blue”

Simple colors that work well.

1. “Chicago”

An iconic colorway that everyone knows.

NBA Playoffs Update by Marshall Laskowski

The NBA Playoffs are nearing the end of the first round, and they have been pretty exciting. The first round matchups are Heat versus Cavs, Thunder versus Grizzlies, Celtics versus Magic, Rockets versus Warriors, Pistons versus Knicks,  Lakers versus Timberwolves, Bucks versus Pacers, and Nuggets versus Clippers. All of these matchups have had exciting games, and two of the series are already finished.

The one seeds rolled in the first round as expected, as both the Cavs and OKC swept while having multiple blowouts throughout. The Cavs will take on either the Bucks or Pacers, which would be fun either way. The Thunder will either take on the star-studded Clippers or the Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic.

The four-five matchups have been exciting. The Nuggets and Clippers series is tied at 2-2, and all of the games have been excellent. The Pacers and Bucks have also had great matchups, but the Pacers lead Milwaukee 3-1.

The Timberwolves have rolled against the Lakers in thrilling games led by Anthony Edwards, who has been balling out all series as the T-wolves lead 3-1. The other three-six matchup is Knicks and Pistons, which has been physical and fun, and the Knicks lead 3-1 as expected. All three seeds have the potential to go a long way in the playoffs, but the T-Wolves look to upset the Lakers and make a run for themselves. 

The final matchups between the two and the seven seeds have had exciting games, but both are at 3-1. The Warriors lead the inexperienced Rockets 3-1 and have the potential to go a pretty far way if they can close this series out. The other two-seven matchups are Celtics and Magic, as the C’s lead 3-1. The Celtics are looking to go back-to-back and certainly have the talent to do so, and they will just need one more win to advance. 

The end of the first round should be entertaining, as well as the playoffs going forward, and it should be exciting to see what happens. 

Nick Kurtz Electric Major League Debut By Andrew Zaj

Wake Forest alumni and MLB rookie Nick Kurtz debuted on 4/23 against the Texas Rangers. Kurtz was a record-shattering first baseman for the Demon Deacons, being a three year starter and leading the Deacs to a third place finish in the 2023 College Baseball World Series. 

Kurtz was one of the finest recruits and then eventually player in program history. Just to name a few of his accolades; 2024 Captain, 2024 and 2023 second-team All-American, 2022 all-freshman team, 2x Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist, 2x All-ACC, 4x ACC player of the week, and 2x National Player of the Week. He finished his collegiate career with a .331 average, 200 hits, 38 doubles, 62 home runs, and a staggeringly high .509 on base percentage. Kurtz also left Winston-Salem with the records for Most Career Walks(189) and Most Walks in a Single Season(78). He was such a lethal hitter, pitchers frankly didn’t want to pitch to him. 

Now the present, Nick Kurtz was a first round draft pick in the 2024 MLB Draft going fourth overall to the massively struggling Oakland Athletics. He was assigned to Double-A Midland Rockhounds out of Texas. He had a short time in Double-A with being called up to Triple-A in the same year. He played 12 games in 2024 with a .368 batting average, 14 hits and four of those being home runs. In 2025 he was in Triple-A for the Las Vegas Aviators, playing in 20 games before he was called up, with a .321 average, 24 RBI’s, 27 hits, and seven long-balls. 

His major league debut started out with a bang, with a RBI single up in the middle in the first inning giving the Athletics the lead. The rest of his debut went how'd you expect with a dropped fly-ball and a strike-out, finishing 1-4 but the A’s did get the win 5-2 over the Rangers. Kurtz is a very promising rookie and it's only up from here for him!

NFL Draft Predictions by Marshall Laskowski

The NFL Draft is right around the corner—this Thursday, April 24th (tonight!). There is a solid class of prospects, including a few from Penn State. I will give a preview of the first ten picks, who the players are, and where they will end up in the pros.

1. Tennessee Titans

I think the Titans will take Cam Ward from Miami with the number one pick. Ward had a great year in college and was known for his “nonchalant” play style. He has a great arm and can work out of the pocket and scramble. Miami had a good year, and Ward should be good for the Titans, who are in need of a quarterback.

2. Cleveland Browns

The Browns will take the Heisman winner, Travis Hunter from Colorado, number two overall. Hunter was phenomenal in college and was known for playing on both sides of the ball. The Browns need help, and Hunter is an all-around great player who would help any team.

3. New York Giants

The Giants are a struggling franchise that needs a generational talent. Therefore, I think they’ll go with Abdul Carter from Penn State. He was one of, if not the best, defenders in college football, and he had tons of talent as an edge. We all saw him dominate games in college, and I think he’ll do the same in New York.

4. New England Patriots

The Pats will take Will Campbell from LSU. He is a great offensive lineman and should help out a not-so-great New England team. Campbell was great in college, and even though I don’t know much about o-linemen, I heard commentators rave about him and his talent.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars

I think the Jags will go with Mason Graham fifth overall. He was an excellent d-lineman for Michigan all year. He put up great stats and will be a great pro for whatever team he goes to. He will disrupt games all year. 

6. Las Vegas Raiders 

The Raiders will select running back Ashton Jeanty with the sixth pick in the NFL. He had one of the best college seasons ever for a running back last year. He will dominate games on the ground in the NFL. 

7.    New York Jets 

The Jets will select Kelvin Banks Jr. from Texas as University. He was a great o-lineman in college and will continue to protect the QB well in the pros. He should help the Jets out as he is a big player.  

8. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers will take Jalon Walker from Georgia University eighth overall. He was an excellent linebacker for Georgia and has the talent to succeed at the next level. The Panthers need help on defense, and he should do just that. 

9. New Orleans Saints

The Saints will take the other superstar from Colorado, Shedeur Sanders. He was a great QB this year and many people think he will be the second one to go in this draft. The Saints are in need of one and he should help them out. 

10. Chicago Bears

The Bears will go with the versatile tight end, Tyler Warren. We all saw him play at Penn State and he was excellent. The Bears need help on offense and Warren’s versatility is a great tool for any team. 

Image Source: NFL.com

Timberwolves Roll The Lakers In Game 1 (NBA Playoffs) by Miles Laskowski

The Timberwolves crushed the Lakers 117-95 led by Jaden Mcdaniels (25 points and 9 rebounds), Anthony Edwards (22 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds), Naz Reed off the bench (23 points and 6 threes).

Naz Reed hit a bunch of big threes. These threes were were huge for the team and help the Timberwolves pull away in this game. They had 44 bench points in total. Luka had 37 points in his playoff debut for the Lakers. He averages 33 points in the playoffs. The Lakers defense was much better in the first half then the second half. Overall, the Lakers were just not as good as they normally are and the Timberwolves were just at their best.

How much does the start of the season matter? by Quinn Cunningham

The question of how much does the start of the season affect teams. For example if your team starts the season with a losing record, you may think he has all year to turn it around, but what if I told you that the last out of the last only one has started their first 10 games with a losing record and eight have had six or more wins in their first 10 games. So if your team doesn't have a winning record at the beginning of the year their chances may drop drastically for a World Series title. Conversely, if your team has six or more wins, your team's odds to win the World Series go up. All in all, the beginning of the MLB season can significantly alter your odds to win the world series. 

The following World Series champions records after 10 games

2024 Dodgers 7-3

2023 Rangers 6-4

2022 Astros 6-4

2021 Braves 4-6

2020 Dodgers 7-3

2019 Nationals 5-5

2018 Red Sox 9-1

2017 Astros 6-4

2016 Cubs 8-2

2015 Royals 8-2

Lakers and Luka Defeat Dallas by Miles Laskowski

The Lakers dominated in Dallas last night. Luka returned to Dallas for his homecoming game. He scored 45 points in his return. He also had 6 assists and 8 rebounds to count for. He went 7-10 from three point range and 16-28 from the field. All together he played very well. Lebron James also had a great game with 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. These two performed the best from the team. The Lakers had a total of 11 bench points. 

The Mavericks, however, did not play that well. Naji Marshall had 23 points leading the team in points. They tallied 31 bench points which is much better than the Lakers. In the end the Lakers performed much better and played very well all together. This was a huge game for Luka because he proved why he shouldn’t have been traded. The fans cheered every time he touched the ball. The fans are wondering why Nico would have traded Luka.

Wake Forest Update #6 by Andrew Zajac

Wake Forest Baseball travels to Chapel Hill to take on the Tar Heels: Wake Forest Baseball Preview #6

By: Andrew Zajac

The Demon Deacons are hitting the road again after a crucial series upset against the former number four team in the nation, Florida State. Now, Wake Forest has another big ACC series against the number 16th ranked North Carolina Tar Heels. 

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are comfortably the number 16th ranked team in the land, with a 23-10 record and a 9-6 ACC conference record. They have three conference series wins, and two conference series losses with a recent series win over the Seminoles of Florida State. The Deacs are led by top ACC hitters in Marek Houston, Kade Lewis, and electric freshman Dalton Wentz. 

The North Carolina Tar Heels are currently the 23rd ranked team in the nation, with a 24-8 overall record, and a 8-7 ACC conference record. The Tar Heels also have three conference series wins and two conference series losses with a recent crucial series win over fierce rival Duke. UNC is led by top ACC pitchers in Aidan Haugh, and Jake Knapp. 

On Thursday,  we have yet another fantastic pitching matchup with two top ACC pitchers in Wake Forest's Logan Lunceford, and UNC’s Jake Knapp. Lunceford is coming off a hot game leading to a win last week, he has a 3.72 ERA coupled with 67 strikeouts in 38.2 innings of work. Lunceford has also given up 21 hits and walked 18 in those innings. For Jake Knapp, he has a 1.58 ERA accompanied with 45 strikeouts in his 45.2 innings pitched. Knapp has walked only seven and given up 31 hits in his eight appearances. 

On Friday, we have a mid-season mix up with Matthew Dallas having pitched the Tuesday game against UNC Greensboro, so Luke Schmolke will be the expected starter. Schmolke has a 3.33 ERA with 32 strikeouts coming from the pen, accompanied with 11 walks given up and 18 hits allowed in his 24.1 innings of work. For the Tar Heels, top ACC pitcher Aidan Haugh will take the bump with 1.91 ERA with 48 strikeouts. Haugh also has given up 26 hits and 14 walks in his 42.1 innings of work. 

On Saturday, PA’s own Blake Moriningstar is taking the hill with a 2.45 ERA coupled with 52 K’s. Morningstar has also given up 28 hits, and walked 14 in his 40.1 innings of work for the Demon Deacons. For North Carolina, Jason DeCaro is the expected starter with 40.1 innings under his belt in the 2025 campaign. DeCaro has a 4.69 ERA with 30 strikeouts, given up 38 hits and also has walked only 11. 

The Thursday game is available on the ACC Network, Friday game is on the ACC Network Extra, and the Saturday contest is on ESPN 2.

Wake Forest Update #5 by Andrew Zajac

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are traveling to Tallahassee this weekend to challenge the Seminoles of Florida State. They are coming off one of the worst weekends they have had in a long time, getting swept at home by unranked ACC foe Virginia Tech. The Deacs are looking to get back on track with a series win and boost their ranking in the top 25 poll and the ACC.

The Demon Deacons are currently sitting at a 21-9 record with a 7-5 conference record with conference wins over Notre Dame and Miami, and conference losses to Clemson and Virginia Tech. They are led by star pitcher Logan Lunceford, and big name hitters such as Marek Houston, Kade Lewis, and standout freshman Dalton Wentz. 

The Seminoles of Florida State are settled in with a 24-4 record and a 7-2 conference record with conference wins over Boston College, Miami, and Notre Dame. The Seminoles have no ACC series losses. They are led by one of the nations best pitchers in Jamie Arnold. Florida State is propelled offensively by Alex Lodise and Gage Harrelson. 

On Friday, we have a big pitching matchup amidst us with top ACC pitchers, Wake Forest's Logan Lunceford and Florida State's Jamie Arnold facing off in the series opener. Lunceford is coming off two shaky starts and hoping to get back on track. He has a 4.36 ERA paired with 58 strikeouts in 33 innings. Lunceford has given up 18 hits and walked 16. Arnold is sitting at a 3.07 ERA coupled with 38 strikeouts from the left side. He has given up 19 hits and 11 walks in 29.1 innings of work. 

On Saturday, another big pitching matchup will take place with two southpaws dueling, Matthew Dallas from the Forest and Joey Volini from Florida State. Dallas has a wildly high 6.23 ERA after a horrendous start last week. He also has struck out 26, allowed 29 hits, and walked 16 in 26 innings of work. Volini is rolling with a tremendous ERA of just 1.25 in 43.1 innings pitched. Volini also has struck out 63, only walked nine, and has given up 26 hits. 

On Sunday, we have yet another excellent pitching matchup with PA’s own Blake Morningstar getting the start for Wake, and Wes Mendes taking the hill for the Seminoles. Morningstar is sitting comfortably with a 2.29 ERA accompanied with 44 strikeouts. He has also walked 11 and allowed 25 hits in 35.1 innings of work. Mendes is settled in with a 2.83 ERA coupled with 52 strikeouts in his seven appearances. Mendes has also walked 13 and given up 26 hits in his 35 innings of work. 

These fantastic games are available on the ACC Network on Friday, and the ACC Network Extra for the Saturday and Sunday contests. 

*All of Florida State's starting pitchers went to Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida. 

Wake Forest Update #4 by Andrew Zajac

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are sitting at 20-6 with a 7-2 record in ACC play after sweeping Notre Dame and Miami in two consecutive weekends, then dropping the Clemson series in heartbreaking fashion, allowing a walk-off wild pitch to lose the series two games to one. They are looking to get back on track with a big series win against the Virginia Tech Hokies, on 3/28, 3/29, and 3/30. 

The Demon Deacons are led by phenomenal showing at the plate by shortstop Marek Houston, first baseman Jack Winnay, utility player Kade Lewis, and freshmen third baseman Dalton Wentz. Houston is batting .404 with 41 RBI’s, tallied 40 hits, and has only struck out 11 times. Jack Winnay has a .286 average with nine home runs, with 33 RBI’s and 26 hits. Lewis and Wentz are coming off of monster weekends and have more potential to grow this season. 

The Virginia Tech Hokies are 16-8 with a 4-5 conference record with series losses to Georgia Tech and NC State and one series win against Louisville. The Hokies are led by monster hitter and utility player Sam Tackett. Tackett currently has a .458 average, with 38 hits and ten of those being dingers. 

On Friday, Logan Lunceford will stay the starter for the Deacs after a very rocky game last week against Clemson. Lunceford is boasting a 2.53 ERA with 56 strikeouts and only allowing 15 hits. 

For the Hokies, Brett Renfrow will be expected to take the bump with a 2.03 ERA in 31.0 innings while striking out 32 and walking 13. 

On Saturday, Matthew Dallas will start after a win last week against the Tigers. Dallas has a 4.13 ERA on 24.0 innings of work with 25 strikeouts, 14 walks, and 22 hits. For Virginia Tech, Jake Marciano will take the hill with a 4.39 ERA in 26.2 innings pitched. Marciano has stricken out 30 batters while walking only seven. 

On Sunday, Pennsylvania’s own Blake Morningstar will be the pitcher after a great performance last week, but led to an eventual Clemson walk-off. The 6’4” righthander is boasting a 2.54 ERA during 28.1 innings of work, while striking out 34 and only allowing 20 hits. Virginia Tech will start Logan Eisenrich, a 6'4” righthander as well, showing a 3.27 ERA while walking 11 and striking out 14. 

Both the Saturday and Sunday games are on the ACC Network while Friday is on the ACC Network Extra. 

Final Four Prediction by Andrew Macneely and Silas Leydig

Here are our  predictions for the Final 4 March Madness.

Auburn No.1 because they play in the best conference which is the SEC with tough teams such as Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and Texas A&M which are all Top 5 teams in the tournament. My other team is Florida because they are No.2 in the best conference (SEC) only behind Auburn. Another pick is Duke because even without their star player Cooper Flagg they are still a really good team, but now that he's back there it's even more difficult to beat the Blue Devils. And for the final pick, we are going with Houston because they are on a roll. For the first matchup between Auburn and Florida, we are picking Auburn because they lead the hardest conference in basketball which is the SEC. For the other match up we have Duke vs. Houston. We have Duke winning because even without Duke's star player they still are a great team. So in the final matchup, Duke vs Auburn, Duke will win because Auburn has been on a roll, but we think they're due for a loss.