The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (10-15) are currently on a 10-game losing streak and will take on the Pittsburgh Panthers (17-7) at Petersen Events Center. The game begins at 7:00 pm ET on Tuesday, Feb. 16 and will air on ESU and ES3.
The Panthers are hoping to rebound after their 85-64 loss to North Carolina on Sunday. Michael Young finished with 15 points to lead the team. The Demon Deacons, meanwhile, are coming off a 99-88 loss against North Carolina State on Saturday. Codi Miller-McIntyre had a team-high 24 points.
The high-powered offense of Pittsburgh (16th in the nation with an offensive efficiency of 116.3) will square off against the bottom-tier defense of Wake Forest (330th in the nation with a defensive efficiency of 111.8), a matchup that should favor the Panthers.
The Panthers enter the game with records of 17-7 Straight Up (SU) and 11-12 Against The Spread (ATS). The Panthers have one of the most prolific home offenses in the entire nation, averaging 81.5 points per game. The Panthers are one of the best in Division I in terms of free throw percentage, shooting a stellar .765 from the free throw line. Pittsburgh has the seventh-most assists in Division I, averaging 18.0 per game. Pittsburgh has left their fans wanting more on the defensive side recently. The Panthers have given up an average of 83.0 points to opponents in their last 10 games, well over their defense’s season average of 67.0 PPG.
Over on the other bench, the Demon Deacons have 10-15 SU and 8-14-2 ATS records. During the last 10 games, they averaged 67.3 PPG, below their 74.0 PPG season average. The last 10 games have really brought out the best of the Demon Deacons on the defensive end. They’ve allowed 71.0 points per game during that span, which is lower than their season average of 79.9.
This game marks the season’s first head-to-head clash between the conference rivals. Their previous game was a Demon Deacons victory, but Pittsburgh still leads the head-to-head record, 2-1 SU. The Panthers also lead the matchup ATS with a record of 2-1.
Predictions: SU Winner – Pitt, ATS Winner – Pitt
Notes
Pittsburgh averages 77.8 points per game (ranked 63rd). Wake Forest, on the other hand, allows 79.9 points per game (ranked 241st).
Pittsburgh scores 81.5 points per home game (ranked 49th). Wake Forest ranks a poor 208th in points allowed on the road, allowing 79.1 points.
Pittsburgh lost its last game by a 21-point margin. In games decided by a margin of 18 points or more, Wake Forest is 0-4. Pittsburgh is 9-2 in blowouts this season.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons average 71.1 possessions per game and 1.041 points per possession. The Pittsburgh Panthers earn fewer possessions with 66.9, but they score more points with 1.163.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons average an effective field goal percentage of 49.6% this season. The Pittsburgh Panthers have split their games this season (6-6) when opponents have an eFG% of 49.6% or greater.
On average, the Pittsburgh Panthers attempt 17.0 three point field goals per game and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons attempt 19.0. In games where they attempt at least 20 threes, Pittsburgh has an exceptional 7-1 record, while Wake Forest is 7-5.
The 11th-ranked team in the category, Pittsburgh has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.54 this season. Wake Forest ranks outside the top 100 at 259th with an A/TO of .93.
Pittsburgh, the 73rd-ranked team in rebounding, register an average of 38.5 rebounds per game. Wake Forest does worse, ranked 107th with 37.6.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons rank 96th in offensive rebounds. The Pittsburgh Panthers rank 144th in the nation in defensive rebounds.
On average, Wake Forest forces a turnover rate of 15.0%. When Pittsburgh turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a solid 11-7 record.
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