NCAAB Odds, Pick for Wake Forest vs Pitt

Wake Forest hasn't played since Jan. 22, when it got blown out by North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

After shooting an uncharacteristic 3-of-20 from 3-point land, the Demon Deacons head to Pittsburgh, Pa., as Pitt looks to get back to its winning ways.

It may not be the sexiest matchup on paper, but it's an intriguing ACC clash.

The Panthers are 3-6 in the ACC, and they cann't afford any more hiccups in conference play. Presumably, they would have to win their remaining games to earn an NCAA tournament bid.

It's not a good idea to sell the Deacs just yet.

While many college basketball fans will use the North Carolina game as a measuring stick matchup, Wake boasts an extremely talented offense.

Its loss to the Tar Heels is not indicative of its talent. After all, UNC is one of the best teams in the country. Plus, if Wake shot the basketball better, it could have been a much closer contest.

That makes Tuesday's game a great situational spot for the Deacons, and the matchup meshes well with their strengths. They're shooting 38% from deep, a top-25 mark in the country.

The Panthers appear to have a strong perimeter defense, but the metrics suggest they've been fortunate. Opponents are shooting 30% from 3, but Pitt sits 294th in 3-point attempts allowed per game.

At some point, a team is due to explode from deep against the Panthers, and the Deacs are a terrific candidate.

Wake also has a massive edge in the free-throw department. The discrepancy is huge, as the Deacons are shooting 79.8% from the line — nearly 10% higher than the Panthers.

Rebounding is my lone concern for Wake. This is a decent defensive rebounding team, but it has struggled to grab offensive boards.

In the backcourt, guards Cameron Hildreth, Kevin Miller and Hunter Sallis are due to rebound after last week's performance. It might be naive to be high on the Deacons, but the offense can be remarkable when everything clicks.

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The Panthers were impressive on Saturday, fighting back from an 11-point halftime deficit to nearly beat Miami on the road. It was a clear flat spot after racking up back-to-back wins over Duke and Georgia Tech, but they showed a lot of fight until the end.

Now, Pitt is typically a team I would back coming off a loss. However, Wednesday's matchup doesn't work in its favor.

The Panthers are due for regression on the defensive side of the ball, and their offense is not explosive enough to keep up. They do a decent job of protecting the basketball, but filling up the bucket will be a tall task.

Their interior scoring has been mediocre, and the Deacons defense is best inside the arc. And due to its free-throw struggles, I don't see a world where Pitt keeps up.

Blake Hinson is one of my favorite players in the sport, but he can't carry the Panthers alone. Unfortunately for Pitt, it's playing an elite offensive team. Otherwise, it would be easier to buy this team coming off a loss.

I love Wake Forest in this game. The fact it hasn't played in 10 days is a bit concerning, but I think Forbes' team should be hungry to bounce back after its brutal shooting performance against one of the nation's top teams.

The Panthers are a gritty team, but their offense doesn't have the tools to keep up. Their defense is bound to get exposed beyond the arc, which makes me doubt they can actually win this game.

I trust the Deacs' lethal shooting and their interior defense. Plus, if the game is close late, their free-throw shooting should put the game away.

Pick: Wake Forest -2 (Play to -3)

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