Wake Forest at Georgia Tech 1/5/19 - CBB Picks & Predictions

Wake Forest and Georgia Tech were picked to finish at or near the bottom of the ACC this year, but both are off to reasonably good starts to the season. When they play Saturday at Georgia Tech, it could set the tone for the rest of the season for these two young rebuilding teams.

Wake Forest is 7-5 and ended a two-game skid by winning their last game. Georgia Tech is 8-5 and has won its last two. The Yellow Jackets are 1-3 in games decided by six or fewer points. Both teams played Tennessee, with Georgia Tech losing by 13, and Wake Forest losing by 19 in a game that was not as close as the score might indicate.

The Demon Deacons are led by freshman Jaylen Hoard, who had 23 points and 15 rebounds in his last game. It was his third double-double this season. Hoard is averaging 15.2 points and 7.7 rebounds. Brandon Childress is averaging 16.4 points and has made 28 three-pointers. Wake Forest is shooting 44 percent overall and 34 from behind the arc. Wake Forest has 78 three-pointers in 12 games. Georgia Tech is a more defensive minded team and likes a slower game. Jose Alvarado is averaging 13.2 points and Brandon Alston is averaging 10.2. Georgia Tech is shooting 45 percent overall and 30 from behind the arc. The Yellow Jackets have 75 three-pointers.

Georgia Tech averages 71.3 points and is holding opponents to 61.8. The Yellow Jackets are getting 7.7 steals per game. Wake Forest is averaging 74.4 points and is giving up 72.2.