Syracuse Orange vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Wake Forest vs Syracuse NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Syracuse.

Wake Forest vs Syracuse Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Demon Deacons and Orange. The game is starting at 2:00 ET on ESPN2, and it's hosted by the Orange at JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, NY. Get ready to place your bets! Wake Forest come into this Atlantic Coast conference matchup as the -1.5 favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 144 points.

Wake Forest vs. Syracuse Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Syracuse Orange
Where: Syracuse at JMA Wireless Dome
Date: Tuesday, December 31st
Betting Odds WAKE -1.5, WAKE -129 | SYRA +107 O/U 144

Demon Deacons Preview: Can Wake Forest Pull Off a Road Win?

Wake Forest Demon Deacons Recent Game/Games

Wake Forest fell to 9-4 on the season after a 73-62 road loss to Clemson on Saturday, December 21st. The Demon Deacons entered the game as +8.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread.

Wake Forest trailed 40-31 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap in the 2nd half, scoring 31 points while allowing 33. The game’s total points of 135 narrowly went over the pre-game line of 134.5.

Demon Deacons Offense Breakdown

Wake Forest managed just 62 points in their last game, shooting 50% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 52%, with two-point shooting at 59.5% (22/37), but they struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 3 of 13 attempts (23.1%).

Hunter Sallis led the way with 26 points, shooting 11 of 15 overall and 2 of 4 from three. Chase Hunter added 16 points, connecting on 4 of 7 from deep, while Jake Heidbreder hit 3 of 4 threes, finishing with 15 points.

Demon Deacons Team Defense

Wake Forest's defense held their opponent to 73 points on 39% shooting from the field. The Demon Deacons allowed 24 made field goals on 61 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Wake Forest gave up 10 threes on 31 attempts, a 32% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 16 times, where they converted 15 free throws.

Orange Preview: Is A Home Victory Likely for Underdog Syracuse?

Syracuse moved to 6-6 on the season with a 75-63 win over Bucknell on Saturday. The Orange were -12.5 point favorites at home but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 138 fell short of the O/U line of 147.5.

Syracuse led 43-31 at halftime but couldn’t extend their lead in the second half, as both teams scored 32 points after the break.

Orange Offense Breakdown

Syracuse put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 47.4% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52.6%. They hit 58.8% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 30.4% of their threes. At the free-throw line, they shot 60.9%, going 14-for-23.

Josh Bascoe led the way with 22 points, hitting 6 of 11 from three-point range. Eddie Lampkin Jr. was efficient inside, shooting 87.5% on 7-for-8 shooting, and added 11 rebounds. Donnie Freeman also grabbed 11 boards and contributed 15 points, making 2 of 4 from deep.

Orange Team Defense

Despite Syracuse allowing 63 points on 47% shooting, they limited their opponent's three-point success, holding them to 7/23 from beyond the arc.

The Orange sent their opponent to the line 23 times, where they hit 14 free throws, shooting 60%. Syracuse also gave up 15 offensive rebounds.

Demon Deacons vs Orange Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their five previous road games, Wake Forest has an ATS mark of 0-5. Their straight up record in these matchups was 0-5 while averaging 58 points per game.
Through their last five home contests, the Orange offense has averaged 73 points per game while allowing an average of 82. Syracuse posted an overall record of 1-4 while going 2-2-1 ATS.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the underdog, the Orange have a straight up record of 0-5. Their record vs the spread in these games was 1-3-1.
In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Demon Deacons have a straight up record of 9-1 and an ATS mark of 3-7.