Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Pick & Prediction 1/22/24

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Demon Deacons and Tar Heels. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ESPN, and it’s hosted by the Tar Heels at Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, NC. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this Atlantic Coast conference contest is set at 154.5 points, with the Tar Heels being the favored team playing at home against the Demon Deacons.

WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS VS NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Wake Forest Demon Deacons +8

This game will be played at Dean E. Smith Center at 7:00 ET on Monday, January 22nd.

WHY BET THE WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-69 in favor of the Tar Heels.
• Even though we have North Carolina winning straight-up, we like Wake Forest at +8.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 154.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 144 points.

Does Wake Forest Have What it Takes on the Road?

Wake Forest enters this game as an underdog, and they have a record of 1-3 on the road this season. Their average scoring margin on the road is -2.2 points per game, and they have lost two straight games on the road.

Overall, Wake Forest is 13-5 this season, including a record of 5-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference games. They have gone 8-3 in non-conference games, and they are coming off a 90-65 win over Louisville.

Wake Forest’s ATS record this season is currently 10-7-1, and they are 1-3 vs. the spread on the road. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Demon Deacons are 4-6 vs. the spread.

Today’s over/under line of 154.5 is higher than the average over/under line in Wake Forest’s games this season (146.6). So far, 15 of their games have finished with fewer points than today’s line. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 142 points and their over/under record over their last 10 games is 8-2.

The Wake Forest offense is coming off a game in which they scored 90 points vs. Louisville. Overall their field goal percentage was 50% while connecting on 18 threes. In terms of offense, the Demon Deacons have a season-long field goal percentage of 47%, putting them 71st in the NCAA. Regarding three-pointers, they are ranked 39th in percentage and 50th in three-pointers made.

The Demon Deacons’ defense is presently ranked 115th nationally, allowing an average of 69.8 points per contest. Wake Forest’s three-point defense is currently 66th in the country at 6.0 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 42.6% of their shots vs. Wake Forest.

Can North Carolina Deliver Being Favored at Home?

North Carolina has been dominant at home this season, winning 10 of their 11 games with an average scoring margin of +19.2 points per game. They have won six straight games at home and have gone 9-1 in their last 10.

For the season, the Tar Heels have been the favorite in 16 of their 18 games, going 14-2 in those contests. They have won eight straight games overall, and their record in Atlantic Coast Conference games is a perfect 7-0.

North Carolina’s ATS record this season is 11-7, and they are 6-5 vs. the spread at home. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Tar Heels have gone 7-3 vs. the spread.

North Carolina’s over/under record this season is 10-8 and their games have averaged 152.8 points per game compared to an average over/under line of 153.4. Today’s over/under line of 154.5 is higher than the over/under lines in 9 of their games this season. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 155 points and their OU record over their last 10 games is 5-5.

Compared to their season average of 83.4 points per game, North Carolina struggled in their previous game. Against Boston College, the Tar Heels scored 76 points while finishing with a field goal percentage of 44.6%. Offensively, the Tar Heels hold a season-long field goal percentage of 45%, placing them 177th in the national rankings. When it comes to three-pointers, they are ranked 137th in terms of percentage and 164th in three-pointers made.

At present, the Tar Heels’ defense is nationally ranked 103rd, allowing 69.3 points per game. In their previous game vs. Boston College, the Eagles finished with a field goal percentage of 34% and a total of 66 points vs. North Carolina.