Wake Forest vs. Pittsburgh prediction ATS, player props, best bets for Thursday, March 14, ACC Tournament quarterfinal

Wake Forest and Pittsburgh meet in the ACC quarterfinals today with an NCAA Tournament bid potentially on the line. ESPN Bracketology lists the Demon Deacons among the first four out, with the Panthers in the next four out. The losing team here will likely have their bubble burst — but the winner still might need one more victory to secure their spot in the Big Dance. 

Pittsburgh had a solid season, going 21-10, and in many ways exceeded expectations, going 19-9-3 against the spread. The Panthers are in the top 10 in the country for cover percentage. They were well outside the tournament field coming into March but won and covered the spread in their last three regular-season games. They rode a hot offense on the win streak, with the OVER for total points hitting in each of their last three.

Wake Forest's season had some similarities. They went 17-14-1 against the spread and ended on a winning streak to fight back into NCAA Tournament contention. The Demon Deacons have won two straight, including a win over Notre Dame in yesterday's second round of the ACC Tournament. Wake Forest covered in each of their last two wins, and their offense has been playing well, hitting the OVER for total points in five of their last seven contests.

Here is the Wake Forest vs. Pittsburgh betting news, player props and a prediction for tonight's ACC Tournament Quarterfinal. The game tips off at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Bet in NC: With online sports betting launching in North Carolina this week, Tar Heel State bettors can now wager on every game of the ACC Tournament. 

ACC Tournament Quarterfinal live odds for Wake Forest vs. Pittsburgh

Here are the ACC Tournament quarterfinal spread, moneyline and total points live odds for Wake Forest vs. Pittsburgh at the best online sportsbooks.

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Wake Forest Demon Deacons betting news

The Demon Deacons' advanced metrics are impressive. On KenPom, they rank 26th for adjusted offensive efficiency and 46th for adjusted defensive efficiency. Wake Forest is 23rd overall for adjusted efficiency margin, suggesting a team that is definitely an NCAA Tournament team. They have lost too many tight games this season, but if they find their way into March Madness, they could be a sneaky contender.

Hunter Sallis is a star guard, leading the team in scoring with 18.2 PPG and doing his scoring efficiently. The junior guard shoots 49.2% from the field and 41% from three and has taken over at times this season, leading the Deacons to some significant wins. He had 29 points in a win over Duke, 33 in a win over rival NC State and 22 in the season finale win over Clemson. 

Since the start of ACC play, Wake Forest is 1-5 when he scores 15 or fewer points. That one win came yesterday when Sallis had an off game, scoring 14 points on 4-of-14 shooting. He can't repeat that performance today if the Demon Deacons want a chance to win and potentially secure their NCAA Tournament bid.

Pittsburgh Panthers betting news

The Panthers are riding a hot streak, and that has given them life with a chance to make the NCAA Tournament. Pittsburgh ranks 35th for adjusted offensive efficiency and 54th for adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom, both metrics trailing Wake Forest's rankings. That likely means the Panthers need to find some advantages and get some standout performances to win today.

One advantage will be the rest factor, as Pittsburgh had a double bye, and Wake Forest had to win yesterday to earn a spot in the quarterfinal. That will help, but it won't be significant enough for the Panthers to be the odds favorite today. That means Pittsburgh needs one of their players to step up and have a star-worthy performance to push them over the edge.

The two most likely candidates are their top two scorers, Blake Hinson (18.8 PPG) and Carlton Carrington (13.6 PPG). The two scored over 20 points in the last game — a big win over NC State. This season, when Hinson and Carrington both score 18-plus points, Pittsburgh is undefeated. That's the recipe for success: Ride Hinson and Carrington, hoping for them to lead to a massive win.

Wake Forest vs. Pittsburgh player props at DraftKings Sportsbook

Here are some of the top player prop markets for the Wake Forest vs. Pittsburgh from DraftKings Sportsbook for the ACC Tournament quarterfinal.

Andrew Carr player props

• 10.5 points OVER (-120) / UNDER (-110)
• 5.5 rebounds OVER (+114) / UNDER (-145)
• 0.5 threes OVER (-190) / UNDER (+145)

Blake Hinson player props

• 18.5 points OVER (-105) / UNDER (-125)
• 4.5 rebounds OVER (+114) / UNDER (-145)
• 2.5 threes OVER (-140) / UNDER (+110)

Cameron Hildreth player props

• 11.5 points OVER (-115) / UNDER (-115)
• 5.5 rebounds OVER (+114) / UNDER (-145)
• 0.5 threes OVER (-238) / UNDER (+180)

Carlton Carrington player props

• 14.5 points OVER (+105) / UNDER (-135)
• 4.5 rebounds OVER (-145) / UNDER (+114)
• 3.5 assists OVER (+100) / UNDER (-130)
• 2.5 threes OVER (+140) / UNDER (-180)

Efton Reid player props

• 9.5 points OVER (-135) / UNDER (+105)
• 6.5 rebounds OVER (-135) / UNDER (+105)

Hunter Sallis player props

• 15.5 points OVER (-135) / UNDER (+105)
• 4.5 rebounds OVER (-120) / UNDER (-110)
• 2.5 assists OVER (-110) / UNDER (-120)
• 1.5 threes OVER (-130) / UNDER (+100)

Jaland Lowe player props

• 12.5 points OVER (-115) / UNDER (-115)
• 3.5 rebounds OVER (+100) / UNDER (-130)
• 4.5 assists OVER (+120) / UNDER (-150)
• 1.5 threes OVER (+165) / UNDER (-216)

Kevin Miller player props

• 13.5 points OVER (-115) / UNDER (-115)
• 3.5 rebounds OVER (+105) / UNDER (-135)
• 3.5 assists OVER (+114) / UNDER (-145)
• 0.5 threes OVER (-245) / UNDER (+185)

Wake Forest vs. Pittsburgh prediction: High-scoring contest expected

The Demon Deacons and Panthers rank higher on offense for adjusted efficiency, and with so much on the line, expect both teams to have strong scoring days. 

Pick: OVER

NC sportsbooks to bet Wake Forest vs. Pitt

The ACC Tournament rolls on in Washington, D.C, on Thursday, with two more North Carolina schools set to join Wake Forest and NC State in the bracket:

With legal sports betting up and running in the Tar Heel State, here are our favorite North Carolina sportsbook apps. Claim one or more of these great bonuses ahead of today's ACC Tournament tipoffs: