Syracuse hits the court again this Saturday when they take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the Carrier Dome. There are only nine games including Wake Forest left in the regular season and if the Orange want to make a push to the NCAA tournament, they are going to need every win they can get. So let’s get to know the Demon Deacons.
Demon Deacons 19-20 Season So Far
It’s another rough season for Danny Manning and crew in Salem, North Carolina. The Demon Deacons are 10-12 overall this season and 3-9 in ACC play which puts them in last place in the conference. Their best win came back on December 14th as they beat Xavier 80-78. On the flip side they have had some pretty ugly losses including losing to Charlotte 67-65 on November 17th. It’s safe to say Wake Forest isn’t making the NCAA tournament this year. Since Danny Manning took over the program back in the 2014-2015 season, he’s only made the tournament once and has a 75-107 overall record to this date. If things don’t turn around soon for the Demon Deacons, Manning could find himself on the hot seat.
Players To Watch Out For
Despite the regular season struggles, the Demon Deacons have a pretty decent offense. They average 71.8 points per game which is 7th in the ACC right behind Syracuse (73.9). The defense however, is awful. Wake Forest gives up 72.7 points per game which is second to last in the ACC.
The Demon Deacons have 4 players who average double digit points. They will be led by senior guard Brandon Childress who is averaging 15.3 points per game. Childress is also great at dishing the ball around as he averages 4.5 assists per game.
The Orange will have some challenges down low with junior center Olivier Sarr whose a near double double threat averaging 13.0 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. With the recent foul troubles with Bourama Sidibe and Marek Dolezaj, this could be an area the Demon Deacons attack the Orange. Also one more player to watch out for is senior guard Andrien White who is averaging 10.1 points per game and is shooting 40.1% from 3 point range.
Prediction
While the Demon Deacons have the advantage down low, the Orange should be able to take care of business on Saturday. The ESPN analytics give the Orange an 84.1% chance to win making them overwhelming favorites. The Demon Deacons have the offense, but there defense has been and will be there downfall in this one. The Orange get their 7th ACC win of the season and keep their NCAA tournament hopes alive.
