The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are a rising star in the ACC, with their most recent win over Syracuse coming on the heels of three straight losses to North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Louisville. However, they still haven’t been able to slay the Duke Blue Devils, even though they are just two games behind the Blue Devils in the loss column.
Although they haven’t shown the consistency to win their games on the road, they have shown the ability to take control of the game late in the second half. They were able to build a nine-point lead with just under seven minutes to play and then pushed it to double digits with just over six minutes left on the clock.
For a team that has only scored over 30 points in one game, the Blue Devils have managed to churn out a solid 40 points per contest at home. During this time, their offensive game plan has featured a number of high-scoring, high-energy players that feature a combination of speed, range and versatility. In addition, they are aided by a stout defense.
Unlike the previous two opponents, Wake Forest isn’t going to be relying on its offense to carry the team to the finish line. This will be a battle of the brains, as the Blue Devils will likely rely on their defense to limit the Demon Deacons’ offense to a sluggish performance. Even so, the Demon Deacons have a chance to send the Blue Devils home with a 4-4 conference record and a berth in the postseason.
While the Blue Devils are the only team to have beat Wake Forest this season, they have managed to pull off the biggest upset of the year. On the other hand, the Blue Devils are no longer the mighty Dukes of old. Their best game in many years came against a team that was ranked lower than it is today. So, if you are looking for a great game, make sure you head to Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. Hopefully, the best team in the ACC can find a way to beat the worst.
Clearly, the biggest challenge to Wake Forest’s comeback hopes will be their own failure to prove they can pass these tests. Fortunately, they have a capable and versatile guard in Tyree Appleby. He can move at a brisk pace, and is a big threat in the passing lanes. A pair of redshirt juniors in Sam Hartman and A.T. Perry provide plenty of help and have the tools to execute downfield. And, they’re not afraid to pound the rock on occasion.
There are a lot of factors to consider in determining which game will be the most entertaining, but one thing is for certain: no one can deny that this is an ACC showdown. As such, you’ll want to be on the lookout for the big picture, and the newest and best in the competition.
