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Wake’s almost done with its historically awful season

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Mercifully, Wake Forest’s historically awful season is almost over.

The Demon Deacons were throttled by Boston College on Sunday, 84-68, dropping them to 8-23 overall and 1-15 in the ACC. That’s the worst conference mark by any team since Maryland’s 1-13 mark in 1989.

“It’s definitely been a tough year,” Wake’s Gary Clark said. “Nobody expects to be last. It’s definitely been a trying year.”

How bad has it been? The latest loss came just days after an 80-54 home loss to George Tech, the second-worst team in the ACC. Even for a team used to defeats – Stetson, Winthrop, UNC Wilmington and Presbyterian have beaten Wake – that one hurt.

“I’m embarrassed,’' forward Travis McKie told the Winston-Salem Journal. “The only word I can really say is embarrassed.

“I don’t know how to deal with it, to go out there every night and just get embarrassed in front of your hometown fans. It just hurts so much, I can’t explain it.”

Here’s how 2010-11 Wake Forest compares to the ACC’s other all-time awful teams.

1954-55 Clemson 0-14 ACC (3-23 overall)
1980-81 Georgia Tech 0-14 (4-23)
1953-54 Clemson 0-9 (5-18)
1985-86 Wake Forest 0-14 (8-21)
1986-87 Maryland 0-14 (9-17)
2010-11 Wake Forest 1-15 (8-23)
1959-60 Virginia 1-13 (6-18)
1979-80 Georgia Tech 1-13 (8-18)
1988-89 Maryland 1-13 (9-20)
1955-56 Clemson 1-13 (9-17)

Wake’s also awful compared to the recently awful BCS schools like Oregon State ’08 and DePaul ’09, both of which were winless in conference play.

The Deacons now turn to their ACC tournament opener on Thursday. It’s a rematch against Boston College. And to their credit, they’re intent on not going out with a whimper.

“Listen, I expect to win. Every time you take the court I expect to win,” coach Jeff Bzdelik said Sunday. “This is not … throwing up the white flag. If you think that of me then you’re disrespecting me, and I mean that.”

Good luck, Deacs. Everybody needs a break sometime.

But it’s not looking like this is that year.

You also can follow me on Twitter @MikeMillerNBC.