NCAAB: Wake Forest vs Pittsburgh Odds, and Picks (Mar 14)

• Wake Forest stayed alive with their win over Notre Dame, winning 72-59.
• Pittsburgh defeated NC State, 81-73, picking up their 3rd victory in a row.
• These two teams last met on February 20, in a game that Wake Forest won 91-58.

Selection Sunday is less than a week away! Let’s look at this ACC Tournament matchup between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Pittsburgh Panthers. Both teams are right on the bubble, and need a win.

How to Watch

• ESPN2

Preview

Wake Forest remains right on the cusp of the NCAA Tournament bubble. They currently project as one of the last four teams in the field, which would result in a First Four appearance. The Demon Deacons will be satisfied with any bid to the tournament, after losing three straight games to non-tournament teams last week. They should view this matchup with Pittsburgh as a bubble elimination game, with a bid on the line.

Pittsburgh improved to 11-3 over their last 14 games following their win over NC State. After starting just 10-7, the Panthers have surged into a position right on the NCAA Tournament bubble. In years past, a 12-8 record and 4th place finish in the ACC may have been enough for a 5-seed or higher. Unfortunately, the modern-day ACC is far weaker, and Pittsburgh finds their metrics hurting as a result. They need this win.

Prediction

Games like these are what makes Championship Week in college basketball nearly as exciting as the main tournament. These two teams are both perfect examples of bubble teams that could easily finish in or out of the field. With the committee starting their discussions today, this game is crucial. I’ll take Wake Forest.

NCAAB Picks:

• Wake Forest 73, Pittsburgh 68 (WAKE -1.5)