Georgia Tech @ Wake Forest preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 5, 2019 ) Wake Forest 79, Georgia Tech 92

Georgia Tech has won four of its past six games, including an upset of then fifth-ranked Louisville, and will be well-rested when it looks to continue its surge with a trip to Wake Forest on Wednesday. The Yellow Jackets play five of their final six games against teams with losing records in ACC play with three against teams behind them in the standings, including a Demon Deacons squad that has dropped six of its past eight after losing at Miami on Saturday.

Junior point guard Jose Alvarado scored 18 points and helped limit Louisville standout Jordan Nwora to two points (16 points below his average) in the 64-58 victory last Wednesday, the program’s first win over a top-five team since Jan. 9, 2016 against No. 4 Virginia. “We’re right at the doorstep,” Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner told the media. “The next phase to move the needle in the program is to get through that door. That’s the hardest part.” Wake Forest fell 71-54 at Miami, tying a season low in points thanks in part to the ACC’s leading team in free throws attempted shooting just 13 – two in the first half. “Offensively, we got off to a bad start,” Wake Forest coach Danny Manning told reporters postgame. “We struggled getting to the free-throw line.”

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: FSN

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (12-13, 6-8 ACC): Sophomore guard Michael Devoe shot just 2-for-9 from the field in scoring nine points against Louisville, but is averaging 16 points on the season as he continues recovering from a foot injury. Junior forward Moses Wright has reached double figures in five straight games and is averaging 13.2 points in that span, scoring 12 against Louisville. Alvarado leads the Yellow Jackets in scoring in ACC games at 15.7 points, shooting 36.5 percent from 3-point range.

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (11-14, 4-11): Senior guard Brandon Childress scored a team-high 15 points against Miami and was one of only three Demon Deacons to attempt a free throw Saturday. Freshman forward Ismael Massoud scored 13 points Saturday on 5-for-7 shooting from the field and is averaging 10 points across his past three games on 56.3 percent shooting from the field (7-for-11 from 3-point range). Junior center Olivier Sarr averages 12.5 points and a team-best 8.8 rebounds.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Demon Deacons have won three of their past four home games and are 7-4 at home as they open a three-game homestand.

2. Georgia Tech has yet to win back-to-back ACC games this season, and is in a two-way tie for 10th in the ACC but only one game out of a tie for fifth.

3. The Yellow Jackets have won eight of the past 11 meetings with Wake Forest, including four of the past six.

PREDICTION: Georgia Tech 68, Wake Forest 63