Wake Forest vs. Notre Dame Prediction: Demon Deacons Seeking Revenge in ACC Tournament

Wednesday’s ACC Tournament game between Wake Forest and Notre Dame could be a make-or-break game for the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest sits right on the bubble and may need to beat the Fighting Irish to keep hope of an NCAA Tournament bid alive. The Demon Deacons lost to the Fighting Irish a little more than two weeks ago, and a second loss to Notre Dame could burst their bubble.

The Irish, meanwhile, have no pressure on them. Notre Dame survived a furious comeback from Georgia Tech on Tuesday to extend its season by at least one more day. A loss during the ACC Tournament will mark the end of Notre Dame’s season. But the plucky Irish look inspired to play hard until the end.

As expected, the Demon Deacons are favored over Notre Dame despite that recent loss to the Irish. In fact, they are bigger favorites than when they lost to Notre Dame in February. Let’s take a closer look at this matchup and share our pick for this game.

Wake Forest vs. Notre Dame Odds for March 13

The first meeting between these teams saw the Demon Deacons favored by 6.5 points on the road. Yet, it was Notre Dame that won 70-65. This time around, Wake Forest is favored by 8.5 points. 

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Wake Forest vs. Notre Dame Preview

The narrative surrounding Wake Forest this season has been simple. The Demon Deacons went 16-1 at home but just 2-9 on the road and 1-2 in neutral-court games. Going 3-11 away from home during the regular season doesn’t necessarily bode well for Wake’s chances on Wednesday, even if the Demon Deacons are the favorite.

Including that earlier loss to Notre Dame, the Demon Deacons are just 3-8 in their last eight games. That includes a three-game losing streak, all against teams in the bottom half of the ACC standings. However, a home win over Clemson in their regular-season finale snapped that losing streak and kept their NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

The question is whether or not Wake Forest can build off that victory without playing at home. The 10 points the Demon Deacons got from their bench during the win over Clemson was as significant of contributions as the Wake bench has provided in a long time. Without a lot of depth, the Demon Deacons have become reliant on the play of Hunter Sallis, a First-Team All-ACC selection. Of course, Kevin Miller and Cameron Hildreth also need to produce in support of Sallis for the Demon Deacons to be at their best.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame shouldn’t be overlooked despite a 13-19 record and a 7-13 record in ACC play. Including the earlier win over Wake Forest, the Fighting Irish are 6-3 over their last nine games. They are also 7-2 against the spread during that stretch, showing that oddsmakers have undervalued them.

A young roster held back the Irish early in the season. However, freshman Markus Burton has turned in a great season that earned him ACC Rookie of the Year honors. Burton is averaging 17.3 points, 4.3 assists, and two steals per game, getting it done at both ends of the court. Meanwhile, fellow freshman Braeden Shrewsberry is one of the ACC’s streakiest shooters. He scored 23 points against Georgia Tech on Tuesday thanks to five three-pointers.

Finally, Notre Dame’s defense isn’t to be overlooked. While the Irish lack high-volume scorers outside of Burton and Shrewsberry, their defense can keep them in games. The Demon Deacons learned that when they were held to just 65 points in the first meeting. According to KenPom, Notre Dame is 33rd nationally in defensive efficiency, which ranks behind just North Carolina, Virginia, and Duke among ACC teams, and could give Notre Dame a chance to pull off another upset on Wednesday.

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Wake Forest vs. Notre Dame Prediction and Betting Pick

It’s hard to deny that the Demon Deacons are the better team. The Demon Deacons surely have a more diverse array of players who are capable of scoring in double figures despite their lackluster bench. However, Wake’s struggles away from home are hard to deny and should give anyone pause ahead of a neutral-site game in the ACC Tournament.

Ultimately, the spread in this game is too high. Notre Dame is strong defensively and has gone on strong late in the season behind Burton and Shrewsberry. With an 8.5-point cushion for a team that’s 7-2 against the spread in their last nine games, the smart bet is to take the Fighting Irish and the points.

• Wake Forest vs. Notre Dame Pick: Notre Dame +8.5 (+100) at DraftKings Sportsbook

How to Watch Wake Forest vs. Notre Dame

• When: 2:30 PM EST on Wednesday, March 13

• Where: Capital One Arena, Washington D.C.

• TV: ESPN

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