UNC basketball vs. Wake Forest: Game preview, info, prediction, more

The North Carolina Tar Heels suffered just their second loss of the season and first in the Atlantic Coast Conference schedule when they fell to SMU last weekend. It was a tough road game for the Tar Heels as they were tied at halftime before the Mustangs pulled away.

Now, North Carolina returns home and has had a week off before hosting Wake Forest. UNC hasn't lost at home yet this season and won its only ACC game in the Dean Dome against Florida State in December. This is a chance for the Tar Heels to get back on track and get over the .500 bump in conference play.

They welcome a Wake Forest team that is 10-6 overall and 1-2 in ACC play. The Demon Deacons are fresh off a loss to Miami this week and are hoping to get to .500. They also lost to NC State but did beat Virginia Tech sandwiched in between those games.

Key to Victory

Get off to a fast start. The Tar Heels can't afford a slow start, especially at home in this game. With the team returning to the Dean Dome for an ACC game, they are going to need to get off to that hot start and find away to jump out to an early big lead.

If they can do that, it should bode well for their chances throughout. They don't want to let a team like Wake Forest hang around and give them a chance.

Something to Watch

Backcourt play. This has become an issue for the Tar Heels all season. UNC has a really good frontcourt with Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar but their struggles at the guard spot have been clear. They did get Seth Trimble back who has helped a lot but outside of that, there hasn't been much good.

That includes the point guard spot. The struggles there have been magnified, and UNC has to find a solution. Let's see if this game can get them going.

Statistical leaders

Points

UNC: Caleb Wilson (19.3)

WAKE: Juke Harris (19.9)

Rebounds

UNC: Caleb Wilson (10.9

WAKE: Juke Harris (6.3)

Assists

UNC: Kyan Evans (3.5)

WAKE: Nate Calmese (5.0)

What you need to know

WHAT? Wake Forest Demon Deacons (10-6, 1-2 in ACC) AT North Carolina Tar Heels (12-2, 1-1 in ACC)

WHEN? Saturday, January 10 at 6:00 p.m. ET

WHERE? Dean Dome in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

TV? ACC Network

RADIO?SiriusXM (Channel 193)

LINE? N/A

LAST MEETING? UNC 68, Wake Forest 59 on March 13, 2025 in ACC Tournament

ALL-TIME SERIES: UNC leads 166–70

PREDICTION? UNC 82, Wake Forest 75

UNC basketball 2025-26 schedule

October 4: Blue-White Scrimmage (White 55, Blue 50)

Oct. 24: at BYU (preseason, L 78-76)

Oct. 29: vs. Winston-Salem State (preseason, W 95-53)

Nov. 3: vs. Central Arkansas (W, 94-54)

Nov. 7: vs. Kansas (W, 87-74)

Nov. 11: vs. Radford (W, 89-74)

Nov. 14: vs. NC Central (W, 97-53)

Nov. 18: vs. Navy (W, 73-61)

Nov. 25: vs. St. Bonaventure in Fort Myers (Fla.) Tip-Off (W, 85-70)

Nov. 27: vs. Michigan State in Fort Myers (Fla.) Tip-Off (L, 74-58)

December 2: at Kentucky (W, 67-64)

Dec. 7: vs. Georgetown (W, 81-61)

Dec. 13: vs. USC Upstate (W, 80-62)

Dec. 16: vs. ETSU (W, 77-58)

Dec. 20: vs. Ohio State in CBS Sports Classic (W, 71-70)

Dec. 22: vs. East Carolina (W, 99-51)

Dec. 30: vs. Florida State (W 79-66)

January 3, 2026: at SMU (L, 97-83)

Jan. 10, 2026: vs. Wake Forest (6 p.m.)

Jan. 14, 2026: at Stanford (9 p.m.)

Jan. 17, 2026: at California (4 p.m.)

Jan. 21, 2026: vs. Notre Dame (7 p.m.)

Jan. 24, 2026: at Virginia (TBA)

Jan. 31, 2026: at Georgia Tech (2 p.m.)

Feb. 2, 2026: vs. Syracuse (7 p.m.)

Feb. 7, 2026: vs. Duke (6:30 p.m.)

Feb. 10, 2026: at Miami (FL) (7 p.m.)

Feb. 14, 2026: vs. Pitt (2 p.m.)

Feb. 17, 2026: at NC State (7 p.m.)

Feb. 21, 2026: at Syracuse (1 p.m.)

Feb. 23, 2026: vs. Louisville (7 p.m.)

Feb. 28, 2026: vs. Virginia Tech (TBA)

March 3, 2026: vs. Clemson (7 p.m.)

March 7, 2026: at Duke (6:30 p.m.)

March 10-14, 2026: ACC Tournament in Spectrum Center (Charlotte, N.C.)

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Game preview, info, prediction vs. Wake Forest