COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Wake Forest enters with the stronger overall profile, posting 78.8 points per game, a 45.3 field goal percentage, 34.1 from three, and 77.6 at the foul line. The Demon Deacons also allow 76.9 points per game and pair that with a defense rated 99.5 in KenPom terms, which is a solid base for controlling a non-conference home game. Maryland-Eastern Shore’s season numbers point in the opposite direction on offense. The Hawks average 64.4 points per game, shoot 44.4 from the field, 30.0 from three, and 71.7 at the line. Their defensive rating is 114.0, and that gap against Wake Forest’s 110.8 offensive rating is large enough to suggest the Hawks may have trouble sustaining enough possessions and efficiency to push the game into a high-scoring range.
Wake Forest should win comfortably at home, but the cleaner value is on the under because Maryland-Eastern Shore’s offense profiles as too limited to keep the game in a higher-scoring range. The Demon Deacons have the edge in efficiency, rebounding, and defensive quality, and that should produce a controlled game flow with Wake Forest pulling away without needing a frantic pace. Final score projection: Wake Forest 89, Maryland-Eastern Shore 48.
