North Carolina State Wolfpack vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our North Carolina State vs Wake Forest NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Winston-Salem.

North Carolina State vs Wake Forest Prediction

Looking to win big? The Wolfpack and Demon Deacons face off at 12:00 ET on CW. The Demon Deacons are hosting the game at Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, NC. This Atlantic Coast conference matchup has an over/under of 137.5 points, and Wake Forest is favored to win by -5.5 at home vs. North Carolina State.

North Carolina State vs. Wake Forest Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: North Carolina State Wolfpack at Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Where: Winston-Salem at Lawrence Joel Coliseum
Date: Saturday, January 4th
Betting Odds WAKE -5.5, NCST +197 | WAKE -247 O/U 137.5

Wolfpack Preview: Do the Wolfpack Have What it Takes to Win as Road Underdogs?

NC State fell to 8-5 on the season after a 70-67 loss to Virginia on Tuesday. The Wolfpack, who were +1 underdogs, didn’t cover the spread, and the game’s total points of 137 exceeded the O/U line of 122.5.

NC State led 39-29 at halftime but struggled in the second half, scoring only 28 points while allowing 41 to the Cavaliers.

Wolfpack Offense Breakdown

Elijah Saunders led the Wolfpack with 22 points on 77.8% shooting in their last game, adding 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Isaac McKneely and Jayden Taylor each contributed 14 points, with McKneely hitting 4 threes at 44.4% efficiency, while Taylor shot 50% from deep.

NC State shot 44.4% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 51.9%. They made 8 of 23 threes (34.8%) and hit 73.3% of their free throws. The Wolfpack grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and dished out 14 assists in the game.

Wolfpack Team Defense

North Carolina State's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 70 points on 54% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 60% of their two-point attempts, with 17 makes on 28 shots.

From beyond the arc, NC State's defense conceded 9 threes on 20 attempts, a 45% shooting performance. Their opponent also went 9/12 from the free-throw line, shooting 75%. The Wolfpack did limit offensive rebounds, allowing just 3.

Demon Deacons Preview: Is It the Demon Deacons Game to Lose at Home?

Wake Forest Demon Deacons Recent Game/Games

Wake Forest improved to 10-4 on the season with an 81-71 road win over Syracuse on Tuesday, December 31st. The Demon Deacons entered the game as -1.5 point favorites and covered the spread with the victory. The total points for the game reached 152, surpassing the over/under line of 143.5.

Wake Forest led 36-34 at halftime and pulled away in the second half, scoring 45 points while holding Syracuse to 37 points after the break.

Demon Deacons Offense Breakdown

Wake Forest put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 43.3% from the field. They hit 47.4% of their threes, going 9-for-19 from beyond the arc, and made 76.9% of their free throws, connecting on 20-of-26 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 50%, and they grabbed 9 offensive rebounds.

Hunter Sallis led the way with 23 points and 4 assists, despite shooting 38.9% overall. Lucas Taylor and Jaquan Carlos each added 16 points, with Taylor hitting 3 threes. Cameron Hildreth and Kyle Cuffe Jr. both contributed 14 points, though Cuffe struggled, shooting just 2-for-14 from the field.

Demon Deacons Team Defense

Wake Forest's defense held their opponent to 71 points, with a solid effort on the perimeter, allowing just 5 threes on 22 attempts for 22% shooting. Overall, they gave up 21 field goals on 56 attempts, a 37% shooting performance.

Inside the arc, Wake Forest's defense allowed 16 two-point field goals on 34 attempts, a 47% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 32 times, where they converted 24 free throws for 75%. Wake Forest allowed 15 offensive rebounds.

Wolfpack vs Demon Deacons Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last five road games, North Carolina State has an ATS record of just 1-4. However, their overall record was 1-4 while averaging 62 points per game.
Across their three previous home games, Wake Forest has an ATS mark of 1-2. Their straight up record in these matchups was 1-2 while averaging 62 points per game.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the underdog, the Wolfpack have a straight up record of 0-5. Their record vs the spread in these games was 0-5.
As the betting favorite, the Demon Deacons have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight up record was 3-0.