The stage is set in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as the Wake Forest Demon Deacons gear up to host the Queens University Royals at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. With tip-off scheduled for 5:00 p.m. EST on December 14, 2025, this matchup promises an intriguing blend of statistical intrigue, recent momentum swings, and a dash of local rivalry flavor. The Demon Deacons, carrying a 7-3 record into the contest, are widely favored against the 5-5 Royals, but anyone who’s followed college hoops knows that upsets can lurk where you least expect them.
Wake Forest enters the game as a heavy favorite, with the spread sitting at -17.5 points and the total over/under set at 162.5 points, according to the latest betting lines. The Demon Deacons’ home-court advantage at the 12,977-seat LJVM Coliseum is no small thing—they boast a strong 5-1 record on their own floor this season. The contest is available for viewing on ACC Network Extra and streaming via the ESPN App, ensuring fans won’t miss a minute of the action.
All eyes are on Wake Forest to take care of business, and the predictive models echo that sentiment. The winning team model gives the Demon Deacons a 74.5% confidence to emerge victorious, while ESPN’s Matchup Predictor is even more bullish, pegging Wake’s chances at a whopping 95%. KenPom’s advanced analytics forecast a comfortable 89-72 win for the home team. But as we’ve seen time and again in college basketball, numbers only tell part of the story.
Wake Forest is coming off a week-long break, their last outing a morale-boosting road victory over West Virginia, where Juke Harris exploded for 28 points. That bounce-back win came on the heels of a tough home loss to Oklahoma, marking the first non-conference defeat at home under coach Steve Forbes. The Deacs will be eager to reassert their dominance in front of their fans and build momentum as the push toward the NCAA Tournament intensifies.
Coach Forbes’ squad has shown flashes of brilliance, especially on the defensive end. Against West Virginia, Wake forced 18 turnovers and limited the Mountaineers to just 30 points in the paint—a marked improvement after surrendering 86 points to Oklahoma. That defensive intensity will be crucial against a Queens team that can fill it up in a hurry. “This urgency, defensively, after an ugly loss, was so promising to see,” wrote Justin Kontul for Wake Forest On SI, highlighting the team’s renewed commitment to locking down opponents.
Statistically, Wake Forest has been a mixed bag. Their 28% three-point shooting at home this season is the lowest among ACC teams, a surprising figure for a program with offensive firepower. Yet, they’ve compensated by excelling at the free throw line, knocking down 77% of their attempts since the start of the 2023-24 campaign—tied for fourth best in Division 1. Their ability to force turnovers stands out as well: at 16.5 forced turnovers per game, they rank second in the ACC.
On the offensive side, Wake Forest shoots an efficient 45.4% from the field, just edging out the 45.0% they allow defensively. Juke Harris has been the headline act, averaging 20.7 points per game on a sizzling 51.6% shooting. Mekhi Mason chips in with two made threes per contest, providing a reliable perimeter threat. The Deacs are 7-2 when they win the turnover battle, underscoring the importance of taking care of the ball and ratcheting up defensive pressure.
Queens, meanwhile, presents a fascinating challenge. The Royals have endured an up-and-down season, sitting at 5-5 but trending upward after back-to-back games cracking the 100-point mark. Their most recent outing saw Nasir Mann drop 23 points in a 102-78 rout of South Carolina State. Mann, a senior guard, leads Queens with 15.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, and he’s the engine that makes the Royals go. Chris Ashby and Yoav Berman offer additional scoring punch from the backcourt, while forward Avantae Parker brings versatility and a deadly 42.9% clip from beyond the arc.
Queens is seventh in the ASUN Conference with 32.8 rebounds per game, and their outside shooting is no joke. The Royals average 11.2 made threes per contest, a full 3.6 more than Wake Forest typically allows. As noted in the preview, “Queens as a team shoot above 35% from beyond the arc and are 30th in the nation in effective field goal percentage.” That kind of firepower means Wake can’t afford any lapses on the perimeter.
Despite their offensive prowess, the Royals have struggled on the road, posting an 0-4 record away from home. Their KenPom ranking has climbed to 182nd, a significant improvement from their preseason mark of 219, but they remain underdogs against a battle-tested ACC foe. Queens’ defensive record is middling; they allow opponents to shoot 45% from the field, right in line with Wake’s offensive output.
Both teams have notable trends against the spread. Queens is 4-5 ATS this season and has covered in 20 of their last 34 games, while Wake Forest sports a 5-5 ATS mark. The Royals have a knack for hitting the over, doing so in seven of nine games this year, and covering the first-half spread in 21 of their last 33 contests. Wake, for their part, has covered the spread in 16 of their last 31 games.
For Wake Forest, this matchup is more than just a tune-up. After suffering a rare home non-conference loss, they’re looking to reestablish their fortress mentality at the Joel. The Deacs’ ability to sustain defensive urgency will be put to the test by a Queens squad that’s riding high after two offensive explosions. “Let’s hope they can play as they did against the Mountaineers and get a big win tonight,” Kontul added, echoing the sentiments of a fanbase eager for a convincing performance.
For Queens, the game presents an opportunity to make a statement against a Power Conference opponent. Can the Royals’ high-octane offense keep them in the game, or will Wake Forest’s defensive pressure and home-court advantage prove too much to overcome?
As tip-off approaches, anticipation builds for a clash that could either reinforce expectations or deliver a surprise. One thing’s for sure: with shooters on both sides, the scoreboard operator better be ready for a busy evening in Winston-Salem. The action is set, the stakes are clear, and for both teams, tonight’s game could set the tone for the crucial weeks ahead.
