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Feb 14, 2026; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Juke Harris (2) brings the ball up court during the first half against the Stanford Cardinal at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
The Syracuse Orange (15-13, 6-9) are back in North Carolina tomorrow for a meeting with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (14-14, 5-10). Both of these teams were hoping to be building tournament resumes, but now they are fighting for positioning for the Tuesday ACC Tournament games.
Tip-off is at 5:45 p.m. EST on The CW and here’s what we’ll be watching for in this one:
Kevin: Drive the ball with purpose
Wake Forest isn’t a team with strong rim protection so it would be smart for the Orange to attack the paint but not settle for pull-up shots. Syracuse needs to take it strong to the rim and I’d like to see this more from Nate Kingz and Donnie Freeman in this game. Freeman has been taken out of the last couple of games and needs to get back inside where he can use his skill to create better looks.
Dom: Getting stops at the guard spot
Defense will be the key, especially on the perimeter. Leading the way for Wake Forest is Juke Harris, who’s averaging almost 22% points per game on solid efficiency overall and from three. Three of the top four scorers for the Demon Deacons are at the guard spot, with Harris getting help from Myles Colvin and Nate Calmese. Wake Forest doesn’t get to the line at a high rate, but it is top-three in the conference in free throw percentage. Naithan George, J.J. Starling and company are going to need to hold them down to take the pressure off William Kyle in the paint.
Max: Feast on the offensive glass
If there’s one team that loves allowing second chances, it’s Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons’ defense gives up offensive rebounds at a staggering 34.2% clip per KenPom, which is last in ACC play. Syracuse’s frontcourt has no excuse but to dominate down low against a Wake team that has Juke Harris, a guard, as its leading rebounder. As we’ve seen throughout this season, the Orange need every extra chance they can get, and this matchup presents a golden opportunity.
Szuba: Mental toughness or more frustration?
This Syracuse team has taken its fair share of hits this season, which has led to understandable frustration. Lately, that’s swelled to anger, however. Do we see this team play through inevitable dips and miscues or do we see more frustration when things don’t go according to plan? Perhaps a week in between games allows time and space for emotions to cool. It will be interesting to see how Freeman responds in this game after the ejection against North Carolina.
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What will you be watching for in this one?
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