Wake Forest @ NC State preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 15, 2019 ) NC State 67, Wake Forest 71

Sophomore Devon Daniels has had an uneven first season at North Carolina State but broke out Wednesday in an overtime victory against Boston College. The Wolfpack hope for more of the same from the Utah transfer on Sunday when they host Wake Forest and seek a season split in the ACC matchup.

Daniels, who averaged 9.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists in his one season with the Utes before sitting out last season, had 19 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and five steals in 25 minutes off the bench and also did a superb job defensively on Boston College star Ky Bowman. Daniels is averaging 9.6 points on 42 percent shooting with 4.6 rebounds in 23 minutes per game, but he had just four points in the loss at Duke on Feb. 16, one point in a home loss to North Carolina on Jan. 8 and didn’t score in a road win over Pitt on Feb. 9. “Coming to a new school, playing for a new coach in a different league - all of that, it’s a learning process," senior Torin Dorn, a one-time transfer from Charlotte, told the News & Observer. "There are growing pains with it, but I think he’s coming into his own.” Wake Forest won for the second time in nine games and snapped a nine-game road losing streak dating to last season with Tuesday's 75-68 triumph at Notre Dame.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (10-15, 3-10 ACC): Junior point guard Brandon Childress paced the Deacons with 20 points, a season-high eight assists and seven boards against the Irish, while 7-foot sophomore Olivier Sarr (6.2 rebounds, 5.5 rebounds) tied a career best with 14 points. Childress paces the team in scoring (14.7), assists (4.2), 3-pointers (2.4) and steals (1.6) while freshman Jaylen Hoard, who is a projected first-round draft pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, leads in rebounds (8.1) and ranks second in scoring (13.7 points). Hoard had 16 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals as the Demon Deacons knocked off a then-ranked Wolfpack team 71-68 on Jan. 15.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (19-8, 7-7): The Wolfpack coughed up a 14-point, second-half lead against BC before forcing overtime when Dorn connected on a free throw with 31 seconds left and hitting four of their first six shots to prevail in the extra session 89-80. Dorn and C.J. Bryce each scored 17 points, Braxton Beverly tallied 15 and DJ Funderburk posted 11, as N.C. State placed four players in double figures for the eighth time in ACC play. Dorn leads the team in scoring (14.0 points) and rebounding (6.8); Bryce is second in scoring (12.3 points) and third in 3-pointers (33); Markell Johnson chips in 10.8 points, 4.3 assists and 40 3-pointers; and Beverly contributes 10.4 points and a team-leading 64 3-pointers at 38.6 percent.

TIP-INS

1. The Wolfpack built their biggest halftime lead in ACC action this season against the Eagles, taking a nine-point advantage into the break. N.C. State's 46 first-half points were the most points it has scored in the first half in conference play this season.

2. Dorn had 18 points and eight rebounds and Bryce tallied 17 points in the first contest against Wake Forest this season.

3. Childress joins North Carolina G Coby White as the only players in the ACC to average at least 14 points, four assists, two 3-pointers and one steal per game.

PREDICTION: North Carolina State 86, Wake Forest 69