Virginia @ Wake Forest preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 22, 2019 ) Wake Forest 45, Virginia 68

Virginia won the national championship in April but the Cavaliers appear to be just another middle-of-the-pack ACC team trying to find itself only 10 months later. Virginia, losers of four of its last five games, will try to get back on the right track when it visits another struggling team in Wake Forest on Sunday.

To make matters worse for the Cavaliers, three of the four losses - including two at home - were against unranked teams, and all four by single digits. “Confidence is something that you have to earn. This league is who is ready and right has a chance to win, and we know our margin for error is smaller than it has usually been," coach Tony Bennett said. "I think we’re improving in little ways, but it’s not showing in the win-loss column." The Cavaliers dropped a 53-51 decision at home Monday to North Carolina State after fighting back from an 11-point, second-half deficit to take a four-point lead with 4 1/2 minutes left. Wake Forest has also dropped four of five after Tuesday's 71-68 defeat at Clemson.

TIME: Noon ET. TV: ACC Network

ABOUT VIRGINIA (12-6, 4-4 ACC): Kihei Clark (9.8 points, 5.9 assists) led the offense with 10 points Monday and Mamadi Diakite (13.1 points, 6.8 rebounds) blocked three shots to move into third on Virginia's career list with 142. Freshman guard Casey Morsell (4.6 points) tallied nine points and five rebounds in 32 minutes off the bench, while 7-0 freshman Francisco Caffaro scored six points - his most since 10 versus North Carolina on Dec. 8, 2019. “I thought a highlight was Papi (Caffaro) and Casey. I thought those two guys gave us nice lifts today. ... Thought Papi brought physicality and did a good job impacting the high ball screen, then everybody reset and everybody buckled down defensively and got enough stops to get the lead."

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (9-9, 2-6): The Demon Deacons led by six at the half, but the Tigers rallied and freshman Ismael Massoud's game-tying 3-point attempt missed in the closing seconds. Andrien White (8.8 points), a grad transfer from Charlotte, scored a season-high 22 points and Olivier Sarr (13.0 points, 9.5 rebounds) had 16 points and 12 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season. Brandon Childress (15.2 points, 4.7 assists) added 14 points and six assists.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Virginia has won seven straight in the series, including three straight at Wake Forest. The Cavaliers won 68-45 last season.

2. Virginia last lost five of six in 2016-17.

3. In conference games, the Deacons rank 13th in the ACC in defensive efficiency (108.8 points per 100 possessions), are last in forcing turnovers (13.3 percent) and 14th in 2-point field-goal percentage (53).

PREDICTION: Wake Forest 55, Virginia 52