FSU basketball: Noles enter Wake Forest game as double-digit favorites

It’s like deja vu for No. 17 FSU basketball (10-3, 6-2 ACC) who comes into Saturday’s game against Wake Forest (6-8, 3-8 ACC) off a two-week layoff.

The Noles haven’t played since their 11-point loss against Georgia Tech on January 30. It’s a spot they’ve been in before about a month ago when they lost against Clemson and went on a two-week layoff due to COVID-19 concerns.

The layoff proved to be what the Noles needed as they went on a five-game winning streak and looked like one of the best teams in the country.

However, their last two games against Miami and Georgia Tech did not feature the same level of play.

The Noles have missed Anthony Polite the past few games due to a shoulder injury, and have played sloppy basketball without the same intensity we saw in the first few games after the Clemson loss.

Polite may return to action Saturday against the Demon Deacons. FSU basketball enters the game as -13 point favorites, with an over/under total of 143, according to the Action Network.

That means oddsmakers project the Noles to win the game 78-65. The Demon Deacons are 3-2 in their last five games but are inferior to the Noles in every major category.

FSU has a habit of playing up and down to their level of competition, and it’s a trait they need to shed quickly, and Wake Forest would be the perfect game. Good teams win, and great teams cover the betting spread. This is a game the Noles need to establish control early and run Wake Forest out of the gym.

How do they do that? It’s quite simple, avoid stupid turnovers, take high percentage shots, rebound, make free-throws, and play with great effort.

The latter is something that’s been missing for whatever reason the last two games. FSU controls its own destiny in its remaining games.

Here’s to hoping they get off on the right foot Saturday. Be sure to follow along on Twitter as we live-tweet the game!