The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (16-8) travel to face off against the Virginia Cavaliers (19-6) on Saturday, February 17th. This game will be played at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville and televised on ESPN2. Both Wake Forest and Virginia will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Tip-off is scheduled for 12:00 ET.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs Virginia Cavaliers
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Wake Forest is 16-8 this season, including an 8-5 record in ACC play. On the road, the Demon Deacons are 2-6, and their average scoring margin is -1.8 points per game, compared to +15.3 at home. They have lost four of their last five games away from home.
As the underdog, Wake Forest is 1-6 this season. They are 15-2 when favored. In their most recent game, the Demon Deacons lost to Duke by a score of 77-69.
Wake Forest has an ATS record of 12-11-1 this season, including a mark of 2-6 on the road. As the underdog, the Demon Deacons are just 1-6 vs. the spread. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, Wake Forest is 2-8 ATS.
So far this season, the over/under record in Wake Forest games is 14-10. Currently, the average scoring total in their games is 151 points, which is higher than the average over/under line of 148.1. Today’s over/under line of 130.5 is lower than the average scoring total in their last three games of 146 points.
The Virginia Cavaliers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Virginia is coming off a 74-63 loss to Pittsburgh, but the Cavaliers have been excellent at home this season, going 15-1. Over their last 10 games at home, the Cavaliers have gone 9-1.
For the season, Virginia is 19-6, and they have gone 10-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. As the favorite, the Cavaliers are 17-3, and they are favored in 20 of their 25 games.
As the favorite this season, Virginia has gone 12-7-1 vs. the spread. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Cavaliers have a record of 6-3-1 ATS. At home, their ATS mark is 10-5-1 this year. In their last three home games, Virginia is just 1-2 ATS. Over their last five home contests, the Cavaliers are 2-2-1 vs. the spread.
So far this season, the over/under record for Virginia games is 12-13. On average, their games have finished with 124 points. Today’s over/under line is set at 130.5. This year, 16 of their games have finished with more points than today’s over/under line.
Wake Forest Offense Breakdown
In their latest game, Wake Forest offense put up 69 points against Duke. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 39.1% and made 6 threes. Hunter Sallis was the leading scorer for the Demon Deacons, putting up 22 points. In addition, Andrew Carr contributed 12 points.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter Sallis (G) | 18.7 | 4.0 | 2.5 |
| Kevin Miller (G) | 15.7 | 2.8 | 3.9 |
| Andrew Carr (F) | 14.0 | 6.8 | 1.3 |
Virginia Offense Breakdown
In their latest game, Virginia offense put up 63 points against Pittsburgh. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 50% and made 4 threes. In terms of offense, the Cavaliers have a season-long field goal percentage of 45%, putting them 195th in the NCAA. Regarding three-pointers, they are ranked 86th in percentage and 261st in three-pointers made.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reece Beekman (G) | 14.0 | 3.1 | 6.0 |
| Isaac McKneely (G) | 12.5 | 3.2 | 1.8 |
| Ryan Dunn (G) | 9.0 | 7.0 | 0.9 |
Wake Forest Team Defense
So far, the Demon Deacons’ defense is ranked 133rd in the country at 70.7 points per contest. In today’s game vs. Virginia, the Wake Forest defense will be looking to do a better job avoiding putting opponents on the line. In their last game, Wake Forest made 18 free-throws vs. the Demon Deacons.
Virginia Team Defense
In the current season, the Virginia defense has excelled, sitting 4th in the nation by allowing 58.4 points per game. Against Pittsburgh, the Cavaliers’ defense gave up 74 points and did a good job not fouling. For the game, Pittsburgh only made 9 free-throws.
Demon Deacons vs Cavaliers Trends
- Across their five previous road games, Wake Forest has an ATS mark of 1-4. Their straight up record in these matchups was 1-4 while averaging 72 points per game.
- Although Virginia has a straight up record of 4-6 in their last ten home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 4-6. The team averaged 60 points per game in these games.
- Going back to their previous ten games as the underdog, Wake Forest has an ATS mark of 2-8 while going 1-9 straight up.
- Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Cavaliers have a straight up record of 8-2. But, their mark vs the spread was just 6-3-1.
Demon Deacons vs Cavaliers Prediction
Not only do we have the Cavaliers winning this one by a score of 76-68, but we see them covering the spread. Our pick is to grab the Cavaliers at -3.5.
As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 130.5, and our model projects the Demon Deacons and Cavaliers to reach a combined total of 144 points. Our bet is on taking the over.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:February 17, 2024 Virginia Cavaliers, Wake Forest Demon Deacons