Wake Forest vs. Georgia Tech Prediction: Demon Deacons Back Home in Must-Win Game

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are the walking embodiment of a bubble team heading into the final week of the regular season. Over the past week, they’ve done more harm than good for their NCAA Tournament chances. That makes Tuesday’s matchup with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets a game the Demon Deacons need to win.

As for the Yellow Jackets, they need a small miracle just to finish with a winning record this season. However, they’ve picked things up lately with three wins in their last four games. Also, with just one more win, Georgia Tech can improve its record in ACC play compared to last season, which would be a great step in the right direction under first-year coach Damon Stoudamire.

Despite Georgia Tech’s recent surge, the Yellow Jackets were pummeled by Wake Forest 80-51 when these teams met a month ago in Atlanta. That game explains why the Demon Deacons are the clear favorite on Tuesday night. Let’s take a deep dive into this matchup and share our betting prediction for Wake Forest vs Georgia Tech.

Wake Forest vs. Georgia Tech Betting Odds for March 5

Oddsmakers are well aware that Wake Forest is undefeated at home this season. How else can you explain the Demon Deacons being favored by 14 points after back-to-back losses? When you factor in Wake’s 29-point dismantling of the Yellow Jackets last month, this line makes a little more sense. Here is a closer look at the odds for Tuesday’s game.

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Wake Forest vs. Georgia Tech Preview

The stretch run of the season has been a rollercoaster for Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons have one of the most obvious home-road splits in the ACC. They’ve dominated at home, blowing out quality teams like Virginia, Syracuse, and Pitt while also scoring a big win over Duke. 

However, the Demon Deacons have repeatedly faltered at home, which is why they enter Tuesday’s game coming off back-to-back losses. Over the past week, Wake Forest has suffered disappointing losses to Notre Dame and Virginia Tech. Those losses have hurt Wake’s tournament resume, so the Demon Deacons don’t have much margin for error moving forward. They need to take care of business in two home games to close out the regular season.

On top of just losing on Saturday at Virginia Tech, Wake’s performance raises a red flag. The Demon Deacons led the game by nine points at halftime, only to be outscored by 20 points in the second half. Defensively, the Demon Deacons need to be better despite averaging close to 79 points per game. Production from the Wake Forest defense has been almost non-existent in recent weeks. If just one or two starters have an off-night offensively, the Demon Deacons will need to make up for it with strong defense.

Wake’s defense will surely be in the spotlight against a Georgia Tech team that’s scored at least 80 points in back-to-back games. Senior Kyle Sturdivant is averaging just nine points per game this season but has hit double-digits in four straight games, including 20 points off the bench in Saturday’s win over Florida State. He and freshman Nathan George have come on strong lately, giving Georgia Tech more scoring depth behind leading scorer Miles Kelly.

With contributions from more players, the Yellow Jackets are much better than their record indicates. Keep in mind that they knocked off North Carolina at the end of January. Starting with that game, the Yellow Jackets have gone 6-3 against the spread down the stretch. They also have a road win over Clemson on their resume and are 5-3 against the spread in ACC road games this season.

In other words, you never know what kind of performance you’ll get from Georgia Tech. One game before beating North Carolina, the Yellow Jackets lost by 24 points at Virginia Tech. Two games later was their 29-point loss to Wake Forest. Nevertheless, Georgia Tech’s unpredictability makes them a dangerous opponent for Wake Forest because the Yellow Jackets have nothing to lose and the Demon Deacons can’t afford to lose a third straight game.

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Wake Forest vs. Georgia Tech Prediction and Betting Pick

Even though Wake Forest is unbeaten at home and dominated Georgia Tech a month ago, this spread feels a little too big. Of course, the Yellow Jackets have been on the wrong end of a few blowout losses this season. The way the Demon Deacons score when at home, that’s a possibility. 

However, Georgia Tech’s recent run of wins isn’t an accident. The Yellow Jackets are still playing hard for their first-year head coach and will look at Wake’s recent losses as a sign that they can compete with the Demon Deacons. It’d be shocking to see Wake Forest lose, but look for Georgia Tech to beat the spread.

• Wake Forest vs. Georgia Tech Pick: Georgia Tech +14 (-110) at DraftKings

How to Watch Wake Forest vs. Georgia Tech

• When: 9:00 PM EST on Tuesday, March 5

• Where: Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

• TV: ACC Network

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