Duke vs. Wake Forest: College basketball game preview, TV schedule

Duke has a huge game on Saturday versus Virginia. Could Wake Forest spring the ultimate trap beforehand?

TV schedule: Tuesday, Jan. 23, 9:00 p.m. ET. ACC Network

Arena: Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

When the Blue Devils nailed their final basket in the 81-54 win over Pittsburgh, it extended the consecutive games they eclipsed the 80 point mark to 15. It also was the game where Grayson Allen finally broke his scoring drought, with 16 points.

One player who’s not in a drought is freshman Gary Trent Jr., who, in his last three games, has made 17/23 shots from deep. It also was a week ago where he had a career-high 30 points in the comeback win over Miami. He, along with the rest of the team, has made Duke 17-2 (5-2) the No. 1 team in the country in both scoring (92.1 ppg) and offensive rating (124.6). It also helps that the Blue Devils has played the two worst teams twice in the past two weeks.

One of them is Wake Forest 8-11 (1-6), who is in the midst of a four-game losing streak, which includes a loss at Duke. The Demon Deacons should be thankful for Pittsburgh because without them they would be in the cellar of the ACC.

This team has been close in the past but inexplicable late-game droughts have destroyed those hopes of winning. It also doesn’t help that the team’s best player, Bryant Crawford, is in the middle of a personal slump, shooting a combined 9/30 in the past two games.

These two teams played a week and a half ago at Cameron Indoor Stadium with the Blue Devils winning a one-sided affair 89-71. Marvin Bagley had 30 points and 11 rebounds to lead Duke with Crawford pacing Wake Forest with 21.

Next: What Zion Williamson going to Duke means for the Blue Devils

The only way Duke struggles in this one is if the team is looking solely at Saturday’s upcoming battle with Virginia. If they can focus, it should be another huge win.

Prediction: Duke 86 – Wake Forest 72