Appalachian State vs Wake Forest Prediction: Can We Trust Donovan Gregory, Mountaineers in NIT Tournament?
Wake Forest takes on Appalachian State in the first round of the NIT Tournament tonight. Can we trust Donovan Gregory and the Mountaineers in the NIT Tournament? Krabs answers.
Krabs - March 20, 2024, 3:45 PM EDT
5 minAppalachian State vs Wake Forest Prediction: Can We Trust Donovan Gregory, Mountaineers in NIT Tournament?
Wake Forest had an extremely up-and-down season. There were times when this team looked like a lock to make the NCAA Tournament, but instead they ended up in the NIT. Tonight, they welcome in a very physical Appalachian State team. Will they be able to fight them off, or will the Mountaineers pull off a major upset in the first round of the tournament?
Appalachian State vs. Wake Forest Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: March 20, 2024
- Game Time: 8:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: ESPN+
Appalachian State vs. Wake Forest Prediction
App State opened up an 11-point underdog last night. They were quickly steamed down to +8.5 on the spread. Most would think Wake Forest would dominate an under-the-radar mid-major like App State, but if that was the case, why did the spread move nearly three points from the opening line?
The Demon Deacons might struggle defending this massive Mountaineers team on Wednesday night, especially if they don’t bring 100% of their effort. We see a good amount of these big-name, power-five schools come out flat in the NIT, even on their home floor. It’s tough to get up for an NIT game against App State when you had NCAA Tournament hopes all season…
This Wake Forest team has plenty of talent at the guard position, but will they have enough big bodies to slow down Donovan Gregory or TreVon Spillers in the paint tonight? I don’t see Andrew Carr or Efton Reid dominating on the interior tonight against this App State frontcourt. If anything, I’m predicting they struggle mightily against this bruiser of a team.
You couldn’t have picked a worse matchup for the Demon Deacons. App State should thrive in the interior all game, and they should be the more motivated squad as well. Wake Forest has nothing to play for at this point of their season, why would they give maximum effort against a mid-major like Appalachian State? I’m sure Wake Forest is still hurting from missing the NCAA tourney, and that’s exactly the type of team I want to be fading.
Grab the Mountaineers on the spread before the number gets any shorter. Donovan Gregory will be the best player on the floor tonight, and don’t be surprised if App State win this game outright. Their defense is significantly better than Wake Forest’s unit, and they will be the more motivated squad on Wednesday night.
Appalachian State vs. Wake Forest Pick
APP +8.5 (-115) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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