James Madison Dukes vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/17/24

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Dukes and Demon Deacons. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ACC, and it’s hosted by the Demon Deacons at Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, NC. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 136 points, with Wake Forest being favored by -7.5 over James Madison.

JAMES MADISON DUKES VS WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Wake Forest Demon Deacons -7.5

This game will be played at Lawrence Joel Coliseum at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, December 17th.

WHY BET THE WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-68 in favor of the Demon Deacons.
• Not only will Wake Forest pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -7.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 136 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.

Can James Madison Grab a Win on the Road?

James Madison Dukes Recent Game/Games

James Madison improved to 5-4 on the season with a 78-61 win over Utah Valley on Saturday. The Dukes, playing at home, were favored by 6.5 points and covered the spread with the victory.

JMU took control early, leading 44-28 at halftime. They scored 34 points in the second half while allowing 33. The total points for the game were 139, just under the O/U line of 140.5.

James Madison’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 78 points with a 50% shooting performance from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 63%, thanks in part to their 50% shooting from beyond the arc, hitting 13 of 26 attempts.

The Dukes also connected on 50% of their two-point shots, going 14 for 28, and shot 68.8% from the free-throw line. They dished out 19 assists, with Xavier Brown leading the way with 7. Bryce Lindsay contributed 18 points, hitting 4 of 9 from deep.

Even though James Madison gave up 61 points, they allowed their opponent to shoot 50% from the field, with 27 made baskets on 54 attempts. The Dukes couldn’t contain the two-point shots, as their opponent hit 14 of 28 from inside the arc.

From three-point range, James Madison’s defense allowed 13 threes on 26 attempts, a 50% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 16 times, where they made 11, shooting 68%. The Dukes gave up 9 offensive rebounds.

Will the Demon Deacons Win at Home?

Wake Forest Demon Deacons Recent Game/Games

Wake Forest improved to 8-3 on the season with a 72-66 home win over Boston College on Saturday, December 7th. The Demon Deacons were favored by 10 points but didn’t cover the spread.

Wake Forest led 38-35 at halftime and outscored Boston College 34-31 in the 2nd half. The total points for the game were 138, just over the 135-point O/U line.

Wake Forest put up 72 points in their last game, shooting 44.7% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 51.1%. They connected on 38.5% of their threes, going 5-for-13, and hit 73.5% from the free-throw line, making 25 of 34 attempts. The Demon Deacons recorded 12 assists and grabbed 7 offensive rebounds.

Cameron Hildreth led the way with 22 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 50% from the field. Elijah Strong added 18 points, hitting 4 of 9 from deep, while Donald Hand Jr. contributed 13 points, knocking down 3 threes. Juke Harris also hit 3 threes, finishing with 12 points on 50% shooting.

Wake Forest’s defense held their opponent to 66 points, with a shooting percentage of 44% from the field. The Demon Deacons allowed 16 two-point baskets on 34 attempts, a 47% success rate.

From beyond the arc, Wake Forest’s defense gave up 5 three-pointers on 13 attempts, with the opponent shooting 38%. They also sent the opposition to the free-throw line 34 times, where they converted 25 attempts, a 73% free-throw percentage.