Preview: Syracuse at Wake Forest in ACC Men’s Basketball

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum for the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament will meet when Syracuse visits Wake Forest on Saturday.

The Orange (14-13) and Demon Deacons (14-14) enter with identical 3-7 records in their last 10 games, highlighting the inconsistency that has defined their seasons. The matchup at Joel Coliseum features two of the league’s most dynamic scorers in a pivotal game for postseason positioning.

Syracuse is looking to rebound from a 77-64 home loss to North Carolina on Feb. 21. Guard JJ Starling has been a bright spot, averaging 17.1 points over his last seven games. He scored 22 points in the loss to the Tar Heels and had a 21-point performance in a double-overtime win over California on Feb. 11.

Wake Forest is coming off a heartbreaking 68-67 loss at Boston College on Wednesday, despite a career-high 38 points from guard Juke Harris. Harris has been on a remarkable scoring tear, averaging 26.9 points over his last seven contests. He has scored 20 or more points in six of those games, including 38 against Boston College and 31 against North Carolina State on Jan. 31.

Syracuse’s recent road form is a concern, having lost four straight away from home, including decisive defeats at Duke (101-64) and Virginia (72-59). Wake Forest has shown resilience at home, winning three of its last four at Joel Coliseum, including an 85-77 victory over Clemson on Feb. 18.

The Orange hold a narrow 7-6 edge in the all-time series, but the Demon Deacons won the last meeting, 86-73, in Winston-Salem on Jan. 14, 2025.

With both teams sitting at .500 or just above overall, a win is crucial for avoiding the lower-tier ACC tournament seeding and keeping any slim postseason hopes alive. The battle between Starling and Harris will be central, but whichever team finds more support from its secondary scorers will likely gain the edge in a matchup of evenly flawed squads.

Tipoff is set for Saturday, Feb. 28, at Joel Coliseum.