Syracuse @ Wake Forest preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 24, 2017 ) Wake Forest 76, Syracuse 81

Wake Forest suffered a brutal defeat its last time out and enters Wednesday's home date with Syracuse eager to notch its first ACC win. The Demon Deacons fell to defending national champion North Carolina in the final seconds on Saturday but must regroup in time to defeat the Orange, who suffocated Virginia Tech in their league opener.

Wake Forest was tied with North Carolina with under 10 seconds left before a floater and two free throws allowed the Tar Heels to escape with a four-point win. "We've just got to continue to make shots," Demon Deacons coach Danny Manning told reporters after his team failed to reach 40 percent shooting and missed half of its 16 foul shots. "We're not making shots. We're executing, we're getting some good looks. We just have to knock them down." The Orange held Virginia Tech to 34.6 percent shooting (10-of-30 from 3-point range) on Sunday and rank 18th in the nation in points allowed (62.2). "Sometimes our zone is better against shooting teams than a man-to-man is and tonight was a good example of that," veteran Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim told reporters. "Why? We don't want to tell everybody that. It just is."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT SYRACUSE (12-2, 1-0 ACC): The Orange had four players account for 64 of their 68 points against Virginia Tech, led by freshman Oshae Brissett (19). Fellow first-year forward Matthew Moyer registered 11 points and 13 rebounds, while Tyus Battle and Frank Howard each contributed 17 points in the team's sixth win in seven games. Battle (19.9 points) is the team's top scorer on the season and has recorded double-figure points in 13 of 14 games while playing every minute in eight straight games, including a pair of overtime contests.

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (7-6, 0-1): The Demon Deacons are a 75.8 percent free-throw shooting team, as five of their top six scorers shoot at least 79.3 percent from the foul line with Bryant Crawford (15.4) draining 91.3 percent. They are a solid 3-point shooting team, as well, as Mitchell Wilbekin has 25 3-pointers and the team's top two scorers - Keyshawn Woods (15.7) and Crawford - have knocked down 19 apiece. Since missing seven of his first eight 3s this season, Wilbekin is 24-of-48 from beyond the arc.

TIP-INS

1. Moyer's 13 rebounds marked a personal best and also contributed to his first career double-double.

2. Orange C Paschal Chukwu has registered at least three blocks in six consecutive games.

3. Wake Forest C Doral Moore has recorded five blocks in two of the last three games.

PREDICTION: Syracuse 62, Wake Forest 60