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We're back once again for continued coverage of Saturday's College Basketball slate as we head to the Atlantic Coast Conference for this next rivalry showdown. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (9-3) will visit the Clemson Tigers (9-3) as both teams put impressive records on the line. It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Wake Forest-Clemson prediction and pick.
Wake Forest most recently took down James Madison 75-58 to earn back-to-back wins once again on the season. Their only losses have come against N0. 22 Texas A&M, No. 18 Florida, and Xavier. They'll be looking to extend their winning streak to three as the road underdogs in this one.
Clemson most recently dropped their game to South Carolina 91-88 in an overtime thriller. It marked the Tigers' second consecutive loss and effectively knocked them from their No. 25 spot in the rankings. They'll be looking to make a statement in this rebound effort at home.
Here are the Wake Forest-Clemson College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Wake Forest-Clemson Odds
Wake Forest: +10.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +450
Clemson: -10.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -630
Over: 136.5 (-110)
Under: 136.5 (-110)
How to Watch Wake Forest vs. Clemson
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET/ 11:00 a.m. PT
TV: ESPN
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Wake Forest Will Cover The Spread/Win
Aside from their losses, Wake Forest has been a solid basketball team this season and they certainly won't be a pushover once ACC play begins to heat up. They have an experienced lineup with four seniors in the starting unit, three of which are leading the team in scoring. Coach Steve Forbes has preached a defensive-minded approach and it's resulted in the Demon Deacons holding their opponents to just 64.3 pts/game. They'll need every bit of effort on that end of the floor if they want to stifle this Clemson offensive attack.
As all-around as it gets 🫰 pic.twitter.com/UDoYWcAP37
— Wake Forest Men's Basketball (@WakeMBB) December 19, 2024
Senior guard Hunter Sallis has been the motor that runs this team and not only is he leading their scoring efforts with 17.2 PPG, he's also a willing passer and always seems to find the open man on his kick-outs when attacking the rim. Look for guard Cameron Hildreth to aid in the assist numbers as Wake Forest hopes to improve upon their 12.5 APG. The only way they can overcome this spread is if they swing the ball and see a hot night shooting from three.
Why Clemson Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Clemson Tigers opened the season at 9-1 and ranked as high as No. 16 in the polls. They've since fallen out of the rankings with their two most recent losses, so this will be seen as a sort of revenge game for the Tigers. They managed to take down Miami in the ACC and they own a signature win over No. 4 Kentucky – this team is wise beyond their years and if they can harmonize their coach's game plan with their raw talent, we should see them make a deep run into March.
CHASE HUNTER! WE'RE GOING TO OVERTIME!
📺 SECN pic.twitter.com/lgQeYMBZoM
— Clemson Basketball (@ClemsonMBB) December 18, 2024
Clemson's last two losses have been by a combined margin of eight, so they certainly haven't been having off-nights despite their recent changes in record. Guard Chase Hunter played hero last game and he's leading the team in scoring with 16.9 PPG. The Tigers boast a taller, more athletic lineup than Wake Forest and they should be able to control this game from the interior while finding high-percentage looks.
Final Wake Forest-Clemson Prediction & Pick
This should be another fun matchup as both teams are 1-0 to open their conference schedules. Clemson is looking to prove once again that they belong in the rankings, while Wake Forest is looking to play the part of spoiler and keep the Tigers on the ropes at home.
Clemson has gone a solid 6-0 at home this season and they've gone 6-6 ATS. Wake Forest has a worse record at just 3-9 ATS, but they'll be working with a sizable double-digit margin during this game. However, in their two meetings against ranked teams this season, the Demon Deacons lost by at least 15 points on both occasions.
This game will likely be dictated by the whoever can control the paint and slow the pace of this game. Clemson is averaging two more rebounds per contest than Wake and they're also the better passing team by a slight margin. I expect this game to be close throughout points, but it's ultimately the athleticism and depth of Clemson that prevails at the end of this one.
Final Wake Forest-Clemson Prediction & Pick: Clemson -10.5 (-110)
