The college basketball betting action goes on with the loaded Wednesday card, so we’re taking a closer look at the Atlantic Coast Conference battle from Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Center to get you the best Duke vs. Wake Forest betting pick and odds. 

According to BetOnline Sportsbook, the Blue Devils are 5-point road favorites with a total of 151.0 points. Duke has won 13 of its previous 14 meetings with the Demon Deacons, while their last four dates have gone over the total.

The Blue Devils hope to get back on the winning track  

The Duke Blue Devils fell to 12-2 straight up and 7-4-3 ATS following a 76-74 home loss to the Miami Hurricanes this past Saturday. Playing as a huge 15-point favorite, Duke put an end to its five-game winning streak while failing to cover for the second outing in a row.

The Blue Devils failed to cope with the Canes’ dynamic backcourt. Paolo Banchero had 20 points and seven rebounds, while Wendell Moore Jr. added 12 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists, but this duo combined for nine turnovers. Duke turned the ball over 17 times and went only 6-for-21 from beyond the 3-point line.

Mike Krzyzewski’s boys are No. 13 in both NCAA NET Rankings and KenPom rankings. They are scoring 116.4 points per 100 possessions (14th in the country) on 48.5% shooting from the field (25th) and 36.0% from beyond the arc (79th).

The Demon Deacons eye their third consecutive victory

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (13-3; 8-7-1 ATS) are coming off a 77-74 overtime victory to the Syracuse Orange this past Saturday. They failed to cover a 4-point spread in front of the home fans, but the Demon Deacons can be happy, as they overcame an 8-point second-half deficit.

Alondes Williams led the way for Wake Forest with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists. He went 9-of-15 from the field and 3-of-6 from downtown. Williams has been outstanding so far this term, averaging 20.4 points, 6.7 boards, and 5.1 dimes a night.

Wake Forest is No. 47 in the NCAA NET Rankings and No. 53 in the latest KenPom rankings. The Demon Deacons are scoring 110.2 points per 100 possessions (53rd in the nation) on 47.8% shooting from the field (35th) and 33.1% from deep (212th).

Trends:

Duke:

  • 4-2 ATS in the last six games overall 

Wake Forest:

  • 1-4-1 ATS in the last six games overall
  • 3-8-1 ATS in the last 12 games against the ACC
  • 2-6-1 ATS in the last nine outings as underdogs  

Duke vs. Wake Forest Pick

On paper, the Blue Devils are a better team than Wake Forest. Duke ranks 23rd in the country in defensive efficiency (93.0 points allowed per 100 possessions), while the Demon Deacons are 65th (97.4). The Blue Devils have covered in five of their last eight meetings with Wake Forest, so I’m backing them to extend their dominance in this matchup.

Paolo Banchero and Wendell Moore Jr. should dominate Wake Forest’s frontcourt. On the other side, Alondes Williams will be under huge pressure for all 48 minutes. Jake Laravia (14.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG) will try to help, but the Blue Devils will win should they slow down the Demon Deacons’ best player. Wake Forest will struggle to cope with Banchero and Moore.

Pick: Take Duke -5.0 at -110                  

The Total:

The under is 3-1 in Duke’s last four showings and 5-2 in Wake Forest’s previous seven games overall. On the other hand, the over is 4-0 in their last four H2H duels, and I would follow this betting trend, as both teams prefer to play at a fast pace.

The Blue Devils average 70.6 possessions per 40 minutes (81st in the nation), while the Demon Deacons register 70.4 (84th). Both sides will look to push the ball in transition whenever they can.

Pick: Go over 150.0 points at -110