Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs North Carolina Tar Heels Pick and Prediction for Saturday January 10 2026
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons visit the Dean E. Smith Center to face the No. 17 North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday, January 10, 2026. This 6:00 PM EST clash on the ACC Network is a high-stakes divisional battle between two teams averaging over 81 points per game. For expert analysis and daily wagering insights on the ACC, check out the latest free college basketball picks over at Winners and Whiners.
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Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Looking for a Road Spark
Wake Forest (10-6, 1-2 ACC) is looking to bounce back after a tight 81-77 loss to Miami on Wednesday. The Demon Deacons' offense is highly explosive, averaging 81.6 points per game while shooting 45% from the floor. They are one of the better ball-handling teams in the conference, though they struggle at times on the glass, averaging 35.1 rebounds per game.
The injury report for Wake Forest is relatively light. Isaac Carr recently returned from an undisclosed injury that sidelined him for two games and saw limited action against Miami. However, starting center Omaha Biliew is questionable for tonight's contest after suffering a foot injury against Virginia Tech; while he played through it on Wednesday, he was held to zero points and appeared limited in his mobility.
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  The Insiders Room | +1,793.00 |
| 2 |  Tony Karpinski | +1,731.00 |
| 3 |  Jesse Schule | +1,599.00 |
| 4 |  Rob Vinciletti | +1,284.00 |
| 5 |  David Delano | +1,232.00 |
North Carolina Tar Heels: Defending the Smith Center
The Tar Heels (13-2, 1-1 ACC) are a perfect 10-0 at home this season and possess a significant size advantage, leading the conference with 41.8 rebounds per game. UNC’s defense is particularly stout in Chapel Hill, allowing an average of only 65.9 points against.
North Carolina is managing a major injury to senior captain Seth Trimble, who is OUT after undergoing surgery on a broken bone in his left forearm in November.3 He is expected to remain sidelined until late January. In his absence, the Tar Heels have relied on a deeper rotation in the backcourt to maintain their 17.5 assists per game average. The team is also monitoring a minor leg injury to Gio Lopez, though he is expected to be available for tonight’s rotation.
Wake Forest vs. North Carolina Prediction
While Wake Forest has the scoring punch to stay competitive, North Carolina’s dominance on the boards and home-court advantage make them a difficult out in Chapel Hill.
Wake Forest vs. North Carolina ATS Pick
- Pick: North Carolina -8.5 (-110)
The Tar Heels have covered the spread in 8 of their 11 home games this season. Their ability to generate second-chance points through offensive rebounding (averaging nearly 7 more boards per game than Wake Forest) will likely wear down the Demon Deacons' interior defense. If Omaha Biliew is limited by his foot injury, UNC's bigs should have a dominant night in the paint.
Wake Forest vs. North Carolina Total Pick
- Pick: Under 159.5
While both teams average over 81 points, UNC's defense at the Smith Center has been elite, holding opponents significantly below their season averages. Wake Forest struggled to find rhythm in their last road game against NC State, scoring only 57 points.4 Expect a high-intensity ACC battle where the total falls just short of this high line.
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