How to Watch: Wake Forest Demon Deacons (10-4, 2-1) vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (9-5, 1-2)

Time: 9PM, Wednesday, January 4th, 2023

Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Dean E Smith Center, 21,750 capacity

TV: ACC Network

Streaming: ESPN App

Radio: Wake Forest Learfield Sports Network, Demon Deacons App (IOS | Android)

Live Stats: GoDeacs.com

Twitter: @WakeMBB | @BloggerSoDear | @Les_Johns | @ConorONeill_DI

Instagram: @WakeBasketball

Spread: Wake +10.5

Over/Under: 151

Wake’s Rating: KenPom: 87 | NET: 80

Opponent’s Rating: KenPom: 23 | NET: 29

Quad: 1

Kenpom Prediction: UNC wins 80-70

Opponent’s Best Win: Ohio State (12)

Opponent’s Worst Loss: Pitt (61)

Previous Matchup: Wake 98—UNC 76 (2022)

Head to Head All Time: 68-163

ESPN Matchup Predictor: 20% chance to win

The Deacs have come up with some big wins over the past couple of games, but now they head to Chapel Hill to take on a North Carolina team that is probably looking to make a statement. The Heels have already lost 5 games, but just 1 of those team—Pitt—is outside the KenPom top 50, and they are 4-0 in the conference and just upset #11 Virginia last night. Regardless of their record, North Carolina always has an extremely talented team full of McDonald’s All-Americans, and the Deacs haven’t won in Chapel Hill since 2010. While wins at home over Duke and Virginia Tech can be considered big wins, a win over the Heels on the road would probably trump both of them. UNC isn’t a particularly great shooting team, but they are rebounding about 30% of their misses this season. With the way Armando Bacot—last season’s runner up for ACC POY—cleans the glass, rebounding is going to have to be a top priority for Wake in this one.

Go Deacs!