Wake Forest vs. NC State: Staff Predictions

Adam: Wake Forest wins 85-73

The Pack have one of the best players in the ACC, but they don't have a lot else. Their bigs can't stop Collins in the paint without sending him to the free throw line, so even if DSJ goes off I think the Deacs should still be able to pull this one out at home.

Chris: Wake Forest wins 88-78

It's tough to beat our in-state rivals twice in the same season, but I think if we can beat State on the road, we can beat them at home. We can't contain Dennis Smith, but we can contain most of the rest of the team. This is a big game for keeping Wake's tournament hopes alive, and I think we pull away late and take this one comfortably.

Grumpy: Wake Forest wins 90-86

This NC State team is weird. They won @ Duke but are 3-9 in ACC play. I love our guys but in my opinion the Pack will have the best player on the floor in Dennis Smith, Jr. (15 pts and 13 assists when we played in Raleigh). If he goes off, anything is possible. That said, I'm hopeful they still won't have an answer to Collins. In Raleigh, the three NC State F/C ended up with 14 fouls. This is a must-win if the Deacs want a real shot at the NCAAT. Let's do it!

Riley: John Collins destroys State single-handedly and get 30 points and 20 boards.

Rob: Wake Forest wins 85-77

Wake Forest earned a hard fought victory in Raleigh the last time these two teams played and hopefully the Deacs can do it again in Winston-Salem. As Grumpy mentioned, Dennis Smith, Jr. will be the best player on the court, but Wake will have the best team. Look for Wake to pound the ball inside to John Collins, obviously a damn good player in his own right, and also get its shooters open looks on the perimeter.

What do you all think will happen in today’s game?