Sat Jan 04 15:20:00 UTC 2025: ## NC State Wolfpack Faces Tough Test Against Wake Forest Demon Deacons

**Winston-Salem, NC** – The NC State Wolfpack basketball team will face a challenging matchup against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons this Saturday, January 4th, at 12:00 PM at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Both KenPom and Bart Torvik predict a close contest, with Wake Forest favored by a narrow margin.

NC State enters the game seeking their first quality win of the season, having narrowly missed a victory against Virginia earlier this week. A win against Wake Forest, projected to finish 3rd in the ACC, would significantly bolster their NCAA tournament hopes.

Wake Forest, under fifth-year coach Steve Forbes, is coming off a 21-14 season that saw them reach the second round of both the ACC tournament and the NIT. Despite losing two starters to the transfer portal, the Demon Deacons have retained key players like Efton Reid and Hunter Sallis, and added significant talent through the transfer market, including Davin Cosby Jr. from Alabama and Tre’Von Spillers from Appalachian State.

Wake Forest boasts a strong non-conference record, having played five Q1 games, including a victory over Michigan. Their ACC record currently stands at 2-1, with wins against Boston College and Syracuse, and a loss to Clemson. The team’s performance will be closely scrutinized in light of the NCAA’s new emphasis on the “Wins Against Bubble” (WAB) metric, which measures a team’s success against comparable opponents.

The game promises a closely fought contest between two ACC rivals, with significant implications for both teams’ postseason aspirations.

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