Prior to ACC play this year, many fans and analysts wouldn't have predicted one of Virginia Tech's biggest games would be against Wake Forest.
The Hokies find themselves on the outside looking in of the NCAA Tournament field after back-to-back losses to Florida State and Miami. If Virginia Tech wants a chance to dance, it has to start with getting revenge on Wake Forest.
The Demon Deacons lead the series 1-0 this year in the first game of 2026, taking down the Hokies 81-78. The three-point difference came from a late three by Nate Calmese inside the final 10 seconds to seal the victory. Calmese finished with 25 points on 9-for-18 shooting and went 3-for-6 from beyond the arc and seven assists that day.
In this matchup, the Nate Calmese nightmare won’t haunt them this time, as he’ll miss his fifth straight game after an ankle injury against Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, Tyler Johnson remains out for the Hokies.
Jaylen Bedford led Virginia Tech with a 25-point performance the last time, knocking down five threes. Amani Hansberry had 19 points and 10 boards in their first matchup.
Coming into this game, the Demon Deacons are coming off a three-game winning streak, with their most recent win coming against Clemson.
In what has been a season with many ups and downs, here are the keys for this game if the Hokies want to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes reasonably alive.
Defense Against Team’s Top Guards
Throughout Virginia Tech’s conference losses there is one common theme, and that is the opposing guards have had some of their best games against the Hokies. Along with Calmese, Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie and Miami’s Tre Donaldson had 30-point performances, while Boopie Miller closed out the game with a buzzer-beater shot for SMU, and NC State’s Paul McNeil Jr. and FSU’s Martin Sommerville shot the lights out against Tech.
While the Hokies won’t have to worry about Calmese going off for another 20-plus point performance, that doesn’t mean they are in the clear. Wake Forest still has their leading scorer, Juke Harris, who is averaging over 21 points per game. Harris is currently shooting 35% from beyond the arc. If not Harris, there is Myles Colvin, who could take the spotlight, as he is second in the team in scoring.
If the Hokies want to win, they have to take care of Wake Forest’s top guards and not let them take over the game.
Late Game IQ
It feels like everyone says this every game, but after the late-game mistakes and foul against Miami, it seems like this should still be at the forefront of what Virginia Tech needs to focus on.
Over their losses, they haven’t been able to seek out a close win due to players and coaching seeming to act frantic and struggle at the end of games. Lawal’s foul against Miami, missed free throws against SMU, and turnovers against the press in a multitude of games are all reasons that Virginia Tech has lost these close games.
Some of it is coaching, and some of it is players; there is no one specific person to stick this on. The players have to be more aware, and the coaches should make it clear what the situation is to the players in late games to not allow the other team to get handed a win late.
Front Court Presence
This is the first game in a while where the Hokies won’t have to deal with a dominating presence in the paint from the opposing team. Wake Forest runs a smaller lineup, with their tallest starters being Omaha Biliew and Tre’Von Spillers, being 6-foot-8 and 6-foot-7, respectively. Their tallest player, Cooper Schweiger, is only averaging five points and only 2.5 boards per game.
Virginia Tech’s guards could find themselves in an exhausting battle with Harris and Colvin, so working through Lawal, Hansberry, and Christian Gurdak on offense may be the game plan for Mike Young in this game. Bedford and Ben Hammond have been the team's two best players as of late, but the Hokies don’t want this to turn into an offensive sprint, and taking their time and working in the paint would be valuable in this game.
The Hokies also rank ninth in rebounding in the ACC, while the Demon Deacons are dead last at 18th in the conference.
Prediction: Virginia Tech 74, Wake Forest 68
Jailen Bedford and Juke Harris will get their points, and Harris will give the Hokies a lot of problems in this game with another 20-point performance.
I think this game is decided in the paint and rebound, and Virginia Tech has the advantage with Hansberry and Lawal’s rebounding ability to give the Hokies a second-chance opportunity. Lawal will have a 20-point double-double for his senior night game.
