The Wake Forest Demon Deacons take on the Clemson Tigers in Clemson, SC. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Clemson is favored by 9.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -455. The total is set at 133.5 points.
Here are my Wake Forest vs. Clemson predictions and college basketball picks for December 21, 2024.
Wake Forest vs Clemson Prediction
My Pick: Wake Forest +10 (Play to +9)
My Wake Forest vs Clemson best bet is on the Demon Deacons spread, with the best odds currently available at Caesars. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Wake Forest vs Clemson Odds, Lines
| Wake Forest Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9 -110 | 134 -110 / -110 | +375 |
| Clemson Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9 -110 | 134 -110 / -110 | -500 |
- Wake Forest vs Clemson spread: Clemson -9
- Wake Forest vs Clemson over/under: 134 points
- Wake Forest vs Clemson moneyline: Clemson -500, Wake Forest +375
- Wake Forest vs Clemson best bet: Wake Forest +10 (Play to +9)
Wake Forest vs Clemson NCAAB Betting Preview
Wake Forest Basketball
When Hunter Sallis opted to return to Winston-Salem, would you believe me if I told you Wake Forest ranked 244th in offensive efficiency (per Bart Torvik)? What If I told you Wake was shooting a laughably terrible 26% from 3?
Well, both things are true.
I just don't think Wake Forest has a well-put-together roster. Playing four players who could shoot made the Deacons' offense explosive in the early stages of Steve Forbes' tenure.
Once Andrew Carr left for the portal, Wake replaced him with Tre'Von Spillers, who played a big role as a smaller, athletic four who can't shoot at App State. Playing Spillers at the four and Efton Reid III at the five is a problem since defenses can pack the paint, cutting off driving lanes for Sallis due to the lack of shooters.
That said, it isn't all bad for the Deacs. I have some faith in them covering this spread due to their No. 47 defense in KenPom's defensive efficiency metric. They hold opponents to just 44% shooting on 2, which leads to opponents resorting to trying to expose their two-big lineup for 3s.
That hasn't worked well; opponents shoot around 31% from 3.
This Wake Forest defense is legitimately good, and I see it continuing.
Clemson Basketball
Clemson is searching for a win to snap a losing streak after dropping overtime games to South Carolina and Memphis.
The Tigers are well-balanced on both ends, ranking 38th in offensive efficiency and 25th in defensive efficiency.
However, the typically-strong Clemson defense allowed 1.16 PPP to Memphis and 1.20 PPP to South Carolina.
Clemson wants a slower-paced game, with the final score in the 70's rather than shootouts in the 80's and 90's. The Tigers should get their wish against Wake Forest, which also plays a slower tempo.
But I don't know if Clemson can blow the Deacons out.
Brad Brownell has a clear offensive pecking order. Most of the plays revolve around Chase Hunter doing something, whether he's dishing or shooting. Hunter has developed into one of the ACC's top players, posting 16.9 points per game on 40% from 3.
Hunter probably doesn't shoot it enough, though — only 12 attempts for a player making 47% of his shots seems light.
The key to Clemson's success is big man Ian Schieffelin. He has been at Clemson for four years and settled into a role as PJ Hall's interior cohort last year. With Hall gone, it's shifted "The Chef" near the top of the scouting report.
Schieffelin misses Hall a bit, as he is shooting just 44% from the field and 30% from 3 (down from 56% and 40%, respectively, last year).
The good thing is that Schieffelin is the nation's third-leading rebounder and Clemson's leader in assists, so he is providing value even when he isn't scoring. (But he does need to score more efficiently.)
Additionally, Clemson is a much better shooting team than Wake. Just about everybody is, but the list includes Clemson, which shoots 37% from 3.
Wake Forest vs. Clemson Betting Analysis
I feel like we see a final score in the 60- or 70-range here. That fits the play style of both teams well, and should lead to a single-digit win for the Tigers, who have a large talent advantage.
Can Wake Forest get slightly better from 3? It's not like Sallis, Cameron Hildreth and Parker Friedrichsen forgot how to shoot in 12 months. Sallis shot 37% from 3 last year and is down to 25%, Hildreth shot 35% and is down to 21%, and Fredrichsen is down to 20% from 36%.
Seeing one player regress by 10% is one thing, but its unfathomable for 3 players to regress that much. It will level out eventually, and this game will be the start, in my opinion.
