The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are reaching for straws in the ACC. They are wallowing near the bottom of the ACC standings, and any win at this point of the season would feel like winning the regular season title for Danny Manning’s team. The Clemson Tigers, meanwhile, is merely avoiding getting a resume-sullying loss to Wake Forest. Read on for a preview of this all-ACC showdown in Winston Salem this Saturday. Register to bet and wager with your pick.
Betting Preview for the Clemson Tigers vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons NCAA Basketball Game on February 3, 2018
Where: Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum
When: Saturday, February 3 2:00 PM EST
Line: Clemson Tigers (n/a) vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons (n/a)–view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ACC Network
Betting on the Clemson Tigers (17-4)
The Clemson Tigers are wielding a solid defense this season that they also hope would contain the Demon Deacons’ offense this Saturday. Considering that Wake Forest is one of the worst teams – if not the worst – in the ACC, the Tigers should be able to take care of this assignment on the road. The Tigers allowing just 65.2 points per game, but they might not need to flash their full fangs defensively against Wake Forest which does not possess a scary offense itself. Speaking of offense the Tigers are averaging 74.8 points per game, which is also just above average, but with their defense expected to limit Wake Forest, Marquis Reed should be able to muster just enough on the offensive end to defeat the Demon Deacons. Reed leads the Tigers with 15.4 points per game. The team’s second-leading scorer, Donte Grantham, meanwhile, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with an ACL tear, so expect freshman Aamir Simms to be key factor for Clemson. Clemson has had little trouble beating Wake Forest in the last several meetings, as the Tigers are 9-1 SU and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against the Demon Deacons.
Betting on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (8-13)
The Demon Deacons are not a powerhouse in the ACC, but they are not helping themselves become even a respectable basketball team by committing so many errors. Wake Forest is coughing the ball 14.0 times per game, second most in the conference. It’s going to be easier said than done, but the Demon Deacons have to burn into their minds that they need to take much better care of the ball against Clemson. If they do, that would mean more chances for their junior guard and talented scorer Bryant Crawford to deal damage on offense. Crawford paces Wake Forest with 15.8 points and 4.7 assists per game. He scored 19 points in a road loss to Louisville last Saturday and 21 in another loss to Duke back in Jan. 13. Of course, Crawford is not going to get away easy with the Tigers certainly putting a target on his back, so the likes of Keyshawn Woods and Doran Moore have to step up. The two are averaging 12.9 points and 10.5 points this season, respectively. On the season, Wake Forest is putting up 74.4 points per game. It is 3-3 ATS in its last six games as home underdogs against Clemson.
Writer’s Prediction:
Clemson wins, 78-66.
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