What Will it Take for the Demon Deacons to Steal a Home Win?

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons Face Off Against the Stanford Cardinal

Feb 11, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Myles Colvin (6) drives on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets guard Lamar Washington (1) in the first quarter at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

After winning on the road against Georgia Tech, ACC play continues for the Demon Deacons against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Tomorrow, they have the opportunity to "defend what is theirs" at home against Stanford.

While the Deacons are favored in this matchup, they don't quite match up well against Stanford. First off, the guard play for the Cardinal's is quite strong. Ebuka Okorie leads the team in points and assists. His ability to run the offense is deadly, and with Wake Forest's difficulty in on-ball defense and guard play, Okorie is a major test for the Deacs.

Stanford has some shooters on the team. Benny Gealer shoots 42.5% from behind the arc, making him a serious threat to get hot. Seven players for Stanford shoot over 30% from three. Wake Forest allows opponents to shoot at a 36% rate from three-point range in conference play. Playing a team that already shoots the ball well could prove to be a struggle for the Demon Deacons.

Wake Forest, despite showing glimmers of glory in turnover margin, blocks, and steals, has the lowest defensive efficiency in the ACC. Rotations, on-ball defense, and sharp fundamentals are key to winning this game.

A weakness displayed by both teams is offensive rebounding. Strictly on offensive rebound percentages, Wake Forest and Stanford are the bottom two teams in the ACC. Rebounding will play a major role in this game, and second-chance opportunities could be the deciding factor in a win or a loss.

Feb 11, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Juke Harris (2) grabs a rebound past Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets forward Kowacie Reeves Jr. (14) in the second quarter at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

This game is all the more winnable. After all, Wake Forest is favored to win this matchup. Some key components can drive home a win in the Joel, and it all runs through Juke Harris.

Juke Harris has been the staple of the Wake Forest offense, scoring over 20 points consistently. Down the stretch, the Deacs rely on him greatly. But more than anything else, having Harris on the floor creates opportunities for other players. The other dominant leader, Tre'von Spillers, will need to hold down the defensive side. Running Spillers at high post was affective last game, and I hope to see Coach Forbes continue with this playstyle tomorrow.

We have seen great improvement from the big man Cooper Schwieger, and to win the defensive and rebounding battles, Schwieger must play to a high standard. Hoping to build off the game previously, Mekhi Mason will hopefully see more minutes of productive basketball. Sebastian Akins, the now starting point guard in place of the hurt Nate Calmese, is seemingly more confident with every start.

In all, the Demon Deacons will need to hit shots as they did against the Yellow Jackets, but Stanford is a winnable game for Wake Forest. Sticking to the assignment and winning that "third quarter" of the game will likely be the key factor. Be sure to tune into the ACC Network at 4:00 PM tomorrow, or pack the LJVM Coliseum for an electric ACC Showdown.