Minnesota Golden Gophers vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/29/24
Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Golden Gophers versus the Demon Deacons? Tip off is at at 1:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN2. The game will be played at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, FL. The over/under for this game is set at 130 points, and Wake Forest is favored by -2.5 against Minnesota in a non-conference matchup.
MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS VS WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Wake Forest Demon Deacons -2.5
This game will be played at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at 1:00 ET on Friday, November 29th.
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 -2.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 130 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
Can the Golden Gophers Pull Off a Win at Lake Buena Vista?
Minnesota dropped a close one at home to Wichita State on Thursday, losing 68-66. The Golden Gophers were +2 point underdogs going into the game, and the final score resulted in a push against the spread.
Minnesota trailed 25-24 at halftime but outscored the Shockers 33-32 in the 2nd half. The game’s total points of 134 fell just short of the O/U line of 138.
In their last game, Minnesota’s offense struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 3 of 23 attempts for a 13% three-point shooting percentage. Overall, they shot 41.5% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 43.1%. Their two-point shooting was a bright spot, as they connected on 57.1% of their attempts inside the arc.
Harlond Beverly led the way with 16 points, shooting 53.8% from the field and 50% from three-point range. Lu’Cye Patterson added 14 points and 6 assists, despite shooting just 30% overall and 20% from deep. Femi Odukale contributed 13 points and 8 assists, shooting 55.6% from the field.
Defensively, Minnesota held their opponent to 68 points on 41% shooting from the field. They allowed 57% shooting on two-point attempts, with the other team making 24 of 42 shots inside the arc.
The Golden Gophers were effective in defending the three-point line, where their opponent shot just 13%, hitting only 3 of 23 attempts. Minnesota also sent them to the free-throw line 17 times, where they made 9, shooting 52%.
Will the Wake Forest Defense Show Up at Home?
Wake Forest Demon Deacons Recent Game/Games
Wake Forest dropped to 3-2 on the season after a 75-58 loss to Florida on Thursday. The Demon Deacons were +8 point underdogs going into the game, and they failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 133, which was under the O/U line of 152.
Wake Forest trailed 32-28 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, allowing 43 points while scoring just 30. They’ll need to tighten up defensively and find more offensive consistency moving forward.
Wake Forest struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 58 points while shooting 37.5% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 39.3%, and they hit only 3 of 20 three-point attempts, shooting 15% from beyond the arc. They did manage to connect on 86.7% of their free throws, making 13 of 15 attempts.
Walter Clayton Jr. led the way with 21 points, despite shooting 33.3% overall and 30.8% from three-point range. Alijah Martin added 16 points, shooting 53.8% from the field and 40% from deep. Tre’Von Spillers contributed 14 points and a team-high 13 rebounds, hitting 66.7% of his shots.
Wake Forest gave up 75 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 39% from the field on 23 of 58 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 15 of 31 shooting, which is 48%.
From three-point range, the opposition hit 8 of 27, or 29%. Wake Forest also sent them to the line 27 times, where they made 21 free throws, shooting 77%. Wake Forest allowed 15 offensive rebounds.