The No. 2 ranked Duke Blue Devils head to Winston-Salem to face the Wake Forest Demon Deacons this afternoon.
The Blue Devils have won 12 games in a row while playing lock-down defense, and my Duke vs. Wake Forest predictions bet on them to shut down the home side today.
Here are my free college basketball picks for this ACC showdown on January 25.
Duke vs Wake Forest prediction
My best bet
Wake Forest team total Under 62.5 (-120 at bet365)
My analysis
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are coming off a 67-66 win against North Carolina and have averaged 74.9 points per game in conference play.
That said, they faced a slew of weak defensive teams during that span, and now they take on the Duke Blue Devils, who rank second in adjusted defensive efficiency at KenPom.
Remember that the Deacons went through an ugly stretch in non-conference play, being held below 60 points in three straight games. Wake Forest struggles on the offensive glass and shoots just 28.1% from long range—easily the worst number among high-major schools.
Wake does a better job inside the arc, but good luck getting that done against a Duke side second in the country in opponent 2-point percentage (40.5%).
With their length and athleticism, the Blue Devils have been a nightmare to get open looks against. They are allowing just 59.5 ppg and have held six of their last nine foes to fewer than 62.5 points.
With Bart Torvik and KenPom projecting 58 and 59 points for the Demon Deacons today, bet on them to struggle against Duke's elite defense.
Cooper Flagg pick: Ball hog
My best bet
Cooper Flagg Under 4.5 assists (-120 at bet365)
My analysis
Cooper Flagg continues to look like the best player in college hoops, but his assists total looks a bit inflated here. The do-everything freshman phenom leads Duke with 4.1 assists per game but has dropped 5+ dimes in just six of his last 17 games.
Offensive production tends to dip for teams on the road, and the Demon Deacons play hard-nosed defense (30th in the country in adjusted defense) and prefer a slow tempo, which will also suppress scoring.
Duke vs Wake Forest same-game parlay (SGP)
Wake Forest team total Under 62.5
Cooper Flagg Under 4.5 assists
Kon Kneuppel Over 2.5 rebounds
Flagg isn't Duke's only standout freshman, with Kon Kneuppel averaging 12.7 ppg and 3.3 rpg. The forward has grabbed three or more boards in seven of his last nine games while Wake sits outside the Top 200 in rebounding rate.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Duke vs Wake Forest odds
Duke vs Wake Forest live odds
Duke vs Wake Forest opening odds
- Spread: Duke -10.5 | Wake Forest +10.5
- Moneyline: Duke -500 | Wake Forest +375
- Over/Under: Over 135 | Under 135
Odds courtesy of bet365
Duke vs Wake Forest betting trend to know
The Under is 25-10-1 in Duke's last 36 games (+12.90 Units / 33% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Duke vs. Wake Forest.
How to watch Duke vs Wake Forest
| Location | LJVM Coliseum, Winston-Salem, SC |
| Date | Saturday, 1-25-2025 |
| Tip-off | 4:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
Duke vs Wake Forest key injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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