Miami basketball at Wake Forest
View live updates and discuss the game between the Miami Hurricanes and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Saturday (2:15 p.m., CW).
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Miami (11-2, 2-0, No. 47 Kenpom) enters on a four-game winning streak following a 95-82 win over No. 16 Clemson on Wednesday while Wake Forest (10-3, 2-0, No. 42 Kenpom) enters on an eight-game winning streak, which is the seventh-longest current streak in the nation. … Miami SG Wooga Poplar (left ankle) missed last game and could be out again, which would give freshman SG Kyshawn George a fourth consecutive start. … Wake Forest’s last two wins were conference games, beating Virginia Tech 86-63 followed by an 84-78 win at Boston College on Tuesday. … Miami is 21st in offensive adjusted efficiency (116.5 points per 100 offensive possessions) according to Kenpom and 128th in defensive adjusted efficiency (102.2) while Wake Forest is 25th in offensive efficiency (115.5) and 89th in defensive efficiency (100.2). … Miami has won the last four and six of the last seven in the series.
SERIES RECORD: Miami leads 16-13; Miami 11-5 under Jim Larranaga
LAST MEETING: Miami won 74-72 on March 9, 2023 at the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C.
LINE: Wake Forest -4 according to BetRivers
KENPOM SCORE PREDICTION: Wake Forest 82-78, Miami has a 36% chance of winning
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Wake Forest: C Efton Reid is averaging 13.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks over his last three games since joining the starting lineup and the Demon Deacons have won all six of their games Reid has played and are a plus-13.5 per game when he is on the floor, which leads the team.
Miami: SF Matthew Cleveland has scored in double figures in seven consecutive games, averaging 16.1 points per game over that stretch, after a season-low five points in a loss to Kentucky. Cleveland is coming off a 23-point game a game after his second double-double of the season. Being effective on both ends of the floor will be important for the Hurricanes’ success.
Christopher Stock has covered the Miami Hurricanes since 2003 and can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] and on Twitter @InsideTheU
