Game Preview: Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs Purdue Boilermakers

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-1) vs #4  Purdue Boilermakers (5-0)

The No. 4 Purdue Boilermakers will look to continue their unbeaten streak when they tip off against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Tuesday at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind.

Purdue leads the all-time series with Wake Forest, 3-2. These two teams will meet for their first-ever Big Ten/ACC Challenge showdown.

Wake Forest is coming off their only loss of the season in their last outing against the William & Mary Tribe 78-68 on Saturday night. The loss snapped a 23-game home non-conference winning streak. C.J. Harris had 17 points and Al-Farouq Aminu added 11 points and a career-high 20 rebounds, but shot just 4 of 18 from the field for Wake Forest. Aminu is leading the Deacons in both scoring (18.8 ppg) and rebounding (11.2 rpg) this season. He currently ranks second in the ACC in both categories. Smith and Harris are each averaging 11.8 points per game. Smith has not committed a turnover in either of his last two games.

The No. 4 Boilermakers routed Central Michigan 64-38 in their last appearance and remain unbeaten so far this season. Their aggressive defense helped to make up for some sluggish offense as the Boilermakers were just 9 of 22 from the field in the first half. E’Twaun Moore led Purdue with 15 points, Robbie Hummel added 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Chris Kramer was held scoreless for the first time since last December. Defensively the Boilermakers held the Chippewas to just five baskets in the first half and 13 for the entire contest. Purdue has induced its opponents into 98 turnovers, an average of 19.6 per contest.

Purdue will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, where they are 3-6 all-time.

The odds makers currently have the Boilermakers as–11-point favorites.

Look for the Boilmakers to win this one by 10.

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