Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Clemson Tigers Pick & Prediction DECEMBER 21st 2024

Preview and Prediction

After two consecutive defeats, the 25th ranked Clemson Tigers will play host to Wake Forest in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup on Saturday afternoon.

Despite their recent losses, Clemson managed to hold onto their spot in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll. However, with back-to-back overtime losses to Memphis and in-state rival South Carolina, it is unlikely that the Tigers will remain among the top teams.

In both of their recent losses, Clemson struggled defensively, allowing their opponents to shoot over 51 percent from the field. This season, the Tigers have a record of 1-3 when their opponents shoot better than 45 percent.

Head coach Brad Brownell expressed his disappointment in the team's performance, stating, "Playing hard isn't going to be enough. I have to do a better job."

In their upcoming game against Wake Forest, Clemson will need to step up their defensive game. The Demon Deacons have struggled offensively this season, shooting just 42.3 percent from the field and averaging only 68 points per game.

However, Wake Forest makes up for their lack of offensive firepower with their strong defensive play. They currently rank 20th nationally in opponent field goal percentage, allowing their opponents to shoot just 38.4 percent.

The Demon Deacons have also been successful in forcing turnovers, with double-digit turnovers in all but one game this season. In their most recent win against James Madison, they forced eight turnovers.

Head coach Steve Forbes praised his team's defensive efforts, stating, "We took them out of their sets. We guarded the ball without fouling."

One area where Wake Forest has excelled offensively is in their ability to take efficient shots inside. They currently have a 54 percent shooting percentage on 2-pointers.

Leading the way for Wake Forest is Hunter Sallis, who was named to the All-ACC team last season. He is averaging 17.2 points per game and is coming off a 27-point performance against James Madison. Last season, he had 22 points in a win over Clemson.

For Clemson, their leading scorer is Chase Hunter, who is averaging 16.9 points per game. In their last game against South Carolina, he scored 27 points and had three assists.

Head coach Brownell spoke highly of Hunter, saying, "He's a terrific player. I'm super proud of him because he's grown, as a young man and player, in our program for a long time."

Another key player for Clemson is Ian Schieffelin, who is averaging a double-double with 13.8 points and 12 rebounds per game.

PREDICTION

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Clemson Tigers

Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Clemson Tigers Recap DEC 21TH 2024

Chase Hunter was one of five players to score in double figures for No. 25 Clemson in a 73-62 victory over visiting Wake Forest on Saturday afternoon.

Hunter finished with 16 points and went 4 of 6 from 3-point range to lead the Tigers (10-3, 2-0 ACC) to a bounce-back victory after consecutive overtime defeats.

Jake Heidbreder added 15 points for the Tigers, Viktor Lakhin tallied 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists, Jaeden Zackery had 12 points, six assists and five steals, and Ian Schieffelin scored 13 points.

Wake Forest (9-4, 1-1) was powered by 26 points from Hunter Sallis, while Cameron Hildreth chipped in 15 points.

Sallis knocked down back-to-back mid-range jumpers to open the game, giving Wake Forest an early four-point lead, but Clemson grabbed the advantage and pulled away with an 18-4 run midway through the first half. Heidbreder had eight points during that span, knocking down two free throws and a pair of 3-pointers.

In the second half, Clemson used an 18-6 run to take a 20-point lead at 71-51, its biggest of the game. That stretch was highlighted by Hunter connecting on a trio of 3-pointers. Clemson led for the game's final 34 minutes.

The Tigers shot 10 of 31 from 3-point range (32.3 percent) for the game while holding Wake to 3 of 13 (23.1 percent). It's the seventh time this season Clemson has held an opponent under 30 percent shooting from behind the arc as they improved to 6-1 in those contests.

Clemson also forced Wake into 19 turnovers and scored 35 points off those miscues. The Tigers had 12 turnovers and 17 assists on 24 made baskets. Clemson has yet to have a game in which it has more turnovers than assists this season.

A season ago, Wake Forest was 2-9 in road games. So far this year, they're 0-3 in true road contests, losing each by double digits.

The Deacs remain on the road for their next contest, playing at Syracuse on New Year's Eve. Meanwhile, the Tigers host Stanford on New Year's Day.