Lawrence Joel Coliseum – Winston-Salem, NC
Tip-off: Thursday, 9:00 pm ET
Line: Wake Forest -9.5

Wake Forest hosts LSU on Thursday night, looking for their second victory in as many seasons over the Tigers.

Both the Tigers and Demon Deacons come into Thursday night’s game looking for a signature win before conference play. While the overall records of 8-2 and 8-3 are solid, both LSU and Wake Forest have dropped multiple games that would’ve otherwise made their potential NCAA Tournament resumes that much more impressive. Wake Forest (5-4 ATS) is looking to bounce back from a weekend loss at No. 17 Xavier (69-65, Wake +10). The Demon Deacons led the Musketeers at halftime and were the first team this season to outrebound Xavier. Wake Forest returns to Winston-Salem where they are 4-0 at home (1-1 ATS). LSU has reeled off four straight wins (2-2 ATS in that span), and that streak started off with an 84-65 home win over Houston on Nov. 29 – a game where the Tigers were +4.5 at home. LSU has a quick turnaround from a victory over Charleston (75-65, LSU -4) on Monday night before their first true road game of the season. The Tigers are 2-0 so far this season with only two days of rest. LSU was 3-8 (2-9 ATS) on the road led by No. 1 NBA draft pick Ben Simmons last season under Coach Johnny Jones. That LSU team couldn’t put away the Demon Deacons last season in the first matchup of these two teams as Wake Forest came into Baton Rouge for the 77-71 win almost exactly a year ago (Dec. 29, 2015). LSU was favored by 7 at home in that contest which saw the Tigers shoot only 2-of-15 from three and get outrebounded by seven. This will be the last non-conference game for both teams.

LSU let last season’s matchup with Wake Forest slip away, but the Tigers have a more cohesive unit this season, not predicated on playing to one player’s strengths (as they were with Ben Simmons). While they massively underachieved (and have done so, arguably, for Coach Jones’ entire tenure) this season provides a balance of frontcourt and backcourt firepower now that the entire roster is healthy. LSU got 19 points and eight rebounds last season in this game from F Craig Victor (10.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG). Victor went into this season suspended for the first three games and then spent the next three working his way back into Coach Jones’ rotation. However, in LSU’s last four wins (all with Victor back in the starting lineup), the 6’9” junior is averaging a double-double (13.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG) in 30 minutes per game. Alongside Victor is fellow 6’9” F Duop Reath (15.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG). A junior college transfer, Reath might be the Australian forward that LSU needed all along. Reath shoots 59% from the field and it isn’t all dunks and putbacks, as he’s got an array of post moves and touch out to the perimeter. Reath and Victor will have a lot on their plate in trying to contain Wake Forest double-double machine, John Collins, so expect defense and boxing out to be a priority for LSU’s frontcourt. LSU doesn’t excel from the perimeter (33.3% 3PT, 223rd NCAA), but Antonio Blakeney (15.9 PPG, 37% 3PT) and Brandon Sampson (12.5 PPG) are capable scorers. Sampson comes off a 20-point outing versus Charleston on Monday night, while Blakeney has four games of 20+ points this season.

Coach Danny Manning’s Demon Deacons are led by a duo of outstanding sophomores, the aforementioned John Collins (17.5 PPG, 10.8 RPG) and G Bryant Crawford (13.7 PPG, 5.8 APG). Collins is one of 13 Power 7 players in the nation averaging double-figures in scoring and rebounding and has the second-longest active double-double streak in Division 1 (six games). Collins combines his natural athletic gifts with a non-stop motor that make him impossible to keep off the offensive glass. Collins’ only drawback is his inability to stay off the floor (2.7 fouls), although he’s improved greatly in that respect over his six-game double-double streak, not being called for more than three fouls in any of those games. If Collins can put in a full first half without being whistled for two fouls going up against experienced and talented forwards like LSU’s Reath and Victor, Wake Forest will be in very good position for a victory. Crawford has had a steady season, but has not taken the sophomore leap into potential all-league status after a sensational freshman season. The guard has struggled to score until recently, where Crawford’s fortunes may be changing, as efforts of 20 points against Xavier and 17 against UNC Greensboro have Crawford’s scoring average finally back to where it was last season. Crawford’s sidekick in the backcourt, transfer G Keyshawn Woods (12.9 PPG, 51.3% 3PT) has been a key and underrated addition to the Demon Deacons for Coach Manning. Woods’ numbers are up across the board from his freshman season at Charlotte. F Konstantinos Mitoglou (9.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG) has shown flashes in his career at Wake Forest but hasn’t become the consistent impact player that was hoped after a promising freshman season. The junior will be a key asset against LSU’s talented frontline if he can take some defensive attention away from Collins in the paint.