Wake Forest vs. Virginia: College basketball preview, prediction, TV
The ACC’s biggest surprise in the Virginia Cavaliers faces off against one of the conference’s biggest disappointments in the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
TV Schedule: Sunday, January 21, 6:00 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Location: Lawrence Joel Coliseum, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
The Virginia Cavaliers are the last team in the ACC with an unblemished conference record. They could find themselves atop the AP Poll by the end of the week.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons, on the other hand? They have some work to do.
Virginia lost just once this season – an understandable road defeat to West Virginia. Outside of that, they haven’t lost. Tony Bennett’s team is getting things done the same way as always: defense. The 52.6 points per game they surrender is the best mark in the country.
Only one ACC opponent so far has reached 60 points.
One difference for this year’s Cavaliers team, however, is the name recognition on the roster. Outside of sophomore Kyle Guy, the average college basketball fan probably couldn’t name another player on the team; Malcolm Brogdon and London Perrantes are not walking through the door.
It just goes to show that Bennett’s program works, regardless of the players.
Wake Forest had roughly the same kind of expectations Virginia did at the beginning of the year, despite the NBA Draft defection of John Collins. But losses to Georgia Southern, Liberty, and Drake destroyed the Demon Deacons’ season before it could really get started.
They won just a single ACC game so far, a home tilt against Syracuse. It doesn’t get any easier after Virginia, with a home game against Duke and a trip to Louisville next on the schedule.
Injuries have been one of the biggest problems for Wake Forest. Only four players have participated in every game this season, a very low number. The Demon Deacons would dominate a rehab game.
But for now, they’re just going through the motions of a lost season. Don’t expect Virginia to look past them towards dates with Clemson and Duke.
Prediction: Virginia 68, Wake Forest 53