7:02 pm
January 12

#8 Duke @ Wake Forest

Who will WIN this matchup?

#8 Duke Blue Devils (12-2)

@ Wake Forest Demon Deacons (13-3)

 

Current odds:

Duke Blue Devils: (-240)

Wake Forest Demon Deacons: (+200)

 

• The line for this game is Duke by 6 points.

• This is the kind of game that Wake Forest has been coveting for more than a decade — a home contest with big implications for both teams.  No. 8 Duke will oppose Wake Forest on Wednesday night in Winston-Salem, N.C.

• Duke (12-2, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) will be eager to be back in action as well after taking a 76-74 home loss to Miami on Saturday night. That was just the second game for the Blue Devils since Christmas. That might stem from a COVID-related layoff that created a gap in Duke’s schedule. The players seem to be taking time to get back up to speed.

• Duke’s only true road game resulted in a loss at Ohio State. The Blue Devils had two games postponed, both slated to be ACC road outings.

• Wake Forest (13-3, 3-2) is off to its best 16-game start to a season in 13 years. Three of the Demon Deacons’ wins have come in overtime, including a 77-74 toppling of Syracuse of Saturday that pushed Wake Forest’s home record to 10-0.

• Wake Forest upset then-No. 7 Duke in double overtime in February 2020, perhaps the last time there was a full dose of energy in Lawrence Joel Coliseum. Now, the Demon Deacons hope to feed off that type of environment for the Wednesday showdown.

• Duke’s season-high 17 turnovers contributed to the loss to Miami.

• ACC opponents are shooting 40.6 percent from the field against Wake Forest.

• The Blue Devils will encounter a Wake Forest team with a couple of transfers — Williams (Oklahoma) and Jake LaRavia (Indiana State) — leading the way. Those players are college veterans, though newcomers for the Demon Deacons.

• Duke relies heavily on freshmen Banchero, Trevor Keels and A.J. Griffin.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
#8 Duke Blue Devils
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