A year ago this week, the University of Miami men’s basketball team was 11-2, on a roll, and had just gotten Nijel Pack back from injury heading into the game against Wake Forest.

That game proved to be a thriller, and the Demon Deacons won at home in overtime.

The situation is quite different ahead of Saturday’s 5:15 p.m. matchup between the two teams at the Watsco Center. The Hurricanes are 4-11 overall and 0-4 in the ACC following the mid-week home loss to FSU.

Miami has lost all three games under interim coach Bill Courtney, who took over after Jim Larranaga’s unexpected retirement on Dec. 26 and has been saddled with costly injuries.

Pack is out indefinitely with an unspecified foot injury and has not played in more than a month. Courtney said Friday that Pack saw a foot specialist, “is out for the foreseeable future” and will be reevaluated later this month.

His replacement in the starting lineup, freshman Divine Ugochukwu, injured his left hip during the FSU game, has not practiced since, and is doubtful for Saturday.

“That presents the issue for us of who plays point guard?” Courtney said. “That makes it difficult. Guys have to move around out of position, other guys have to step up.”

Freshman Jalil Bethea, who started the past few games, is among the players who will have to play big roles. He scored 15 points against Virginia Tech but FSU’s relentless defense frustrated him and he went 0-for-6 against the Seminoles, with just three points coming from the free throw line.

Wake Forest, meanwhile, is 11-4 and 3-1 in conference play. The Demon Deacons beat N.C. State 77-59 last weekend, led by Hunter Sallis, who had 20 points, and Juke Harris with 17 off the bench.

Courtney said he is trying to boost the team’s morale through this difficult stretch, but it is not easy. The players looked dejected on the bench against the Seminoles.

“They were sky high going into Boston College [and lost by 10], sky high going into Virginia Tech [a one point loss] and sky high going into Florida State [15-point loss],” said Courtney. “But if you don’t have success, it knocks you back a little. You’ve got to see some success to keep believing. The whole key for us is to withstand adversity and bounce back from it. We’ll be ready to play Saturday.”

Wake Forest is one of the top defensive teams in the ACC. Players to watch include Sallis, Cameron Hildreth, Tre’Von Spillers and Harris, whom Courtney said UM recruited out of high school.