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After defeating the Demon Deacons to conclude a mediocre 2022-23 season, the Orange will have to repeat that performance again if they want to advance in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.

Wake Forest’s 72-63 loss to SU was the Demon Deacons’ fourth in five games, and the least amount of points it had scored in a game since losing 81-57 to Rutgers in late December. The Demon Deacons finished with the same conference record as Syracuse this season.

Here’s everything to know about Wake Forest (18-13, 10-10 ACC) before the matchup:

All-time series

Syracuse leads, 11-2.

KenPom Odds

Syracuse has a 40% chance of winning, with a projected score of 80-77.

Last time they played

The Orange secured their first win in five games on March 4 with a nine-point win over Wake Forest. Jesse Edwards made all the difference as he tied a career-high with 27 points, snagged 20 rebounds and collected five steals.

“Jesse was a monster tonight inside,” head coach Jim Boeheim said postgame. “You can’t play better than that. He was in a different world today. He was great.”

Wake Forest face-guarded Joe Girard III and Judah Mintz, allowing Edwards to get open off of ball screens and pick-and-rolls. He finished with 10 points by halftime but exploded offensively after Demon Deacons center Andrew Carr got into foul trouble early in the second half.

SU’s defense was also drastically better than its previous three games. Syracuse forced 16 turnovers and held the Demon Deacons to just 40% shooting from the field. Only Tyree Appleby and Daivien Williamson finished with double digits in scoring.

The Demon Deacons report

Wake Forest ran through its nonconference schedule and the start of ACC play with ease, only facing some issues towards the end of January. Since Jan. 16, the Demon Deacons have won just five of 13 games, mimicking Syracuse’s inconsistent conference record. But their wins over Duke and Clemson before that streak show that they could still cause some issues in a rematch against the Orange.

The Demon Deacons have one of the worst defenses in the conference, ranked third to last while giving up 73.8 points per game. Still, their offense is the third best in the ACC, averaging 76.7 points per game.

Appleby is everything to Wake Forest. The Florida transfer has only scored in single digits twice this season, recording more than 20 points in the last three games. Damari Monsanto was the team’s second-best option, averaging 13.3 points per game, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury at the end of February.

How Syracuse beats Wake Forest

This sense of deja vu should inspire Syracuse to play with the same intensity on both sides of the ball like it did at the end of the regular season. The Orange will need their defense to continue to stay active and Edwards to take advantage on the board and off of pick-and-rolls inside. If Edwards can force Carr into some foul trouble again, that should work in SU’s benefit as well.

The Demon Deacons are still finding their identity with the loss of Monsanto, unable to make up for his offensive impact yet. The players who could take that role are Williamson and Cameron Hildreth. If SU can keep Hildreth to under 10 points again, that will be crucial in stopping Wake Forest’s three-headed attack.

Jacques Megnizin | Design Editor

Stat to know: 36.6%

Wake Forest is the third-best team in the ACC from beyond the arc, averaging 36.6% this year. The Demon Deacons live and die by the 3 at times with the second most attempts in the conference as well. WF was horrendous from deep over the weekend in the JMA Wireless Dome, but in a neutral site close to home, it could feel a lot more comfortable. Still, it’s missing Monsanto’s 40.7% clip from deep.

Player to watch: Tyree Appleby, guard, No. 1

Appleby will still be the main issue for Syracuse. He was the Demon Deacons’ entire offense the last time around and will try to do the same in Greensboro. Appleby recorded a season-high 35 points on North Carolina in February and leads all players in the ACC in scoring, averaging 18.8 points per game. He’s also 10th in the conference in made 3-pointers this year with 71.

Syracuse forced Appleby into seven turnovers over the weekend. If SU puts Appleby into tough situations again then this game should be a comfortable victory before the next round of play.

Published on March 8, 2023 at 1:26 am

Contact Anish: asvasude@syr.edu | @anish_vasu