What to know about Wake Forest ahead of Syracuse matchup
Syracuse women’s basketball got 2026 started with a 10-point win over Florida State Thursday. Matthew Crisafulli | Contributing Photographer
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So far, Syracuse has opened 2026 in a much better fashion than it ended 2025.
On Dec. 28, 2025, the Orange closed the calendar year with a 71-51 loss to Duke, where they were handily dominated in the paint. It was only SU’s second loss of the season, but it was a performance Felisha Legette-Jack’s squad would’ve preferred to leave in the past.
They did just that on New Year’s Day. A few days after the Blue Devils rolled into town, Syracuse hosted Florida State with a chance to open 2026 with a win to reclaim a winning record in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Despite a valiant effort from the Seminoles — who got within two points in the fourth quarter — SU never trailed in its 82-72 triumph.
The Orange opened 2026 with some newfound momentum. On Sunday, they’ll have to keep it rolling against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Here’s everything to know about the Demon Deacons (12-3, 2-1 ACC) before they square off against Syracuse (12-2, 2-1 ACC) Sunday:
All-time series
Syracuse leads 10-3.
Last time they played
When Wake Forest came to Syracuse on Feb. 9, 2025, the Orange prevailed in a 62-50 victory, securing their fourth ACC win of the season.
It didn’t come without a sweat, though. The Demon Deacons led 17-11 after the first quarter, and entered the halftime break with a 31-26 advantage. Fortunately for SU, Georgia Woolley ignited for a 21-point showing, while Sophie Burrows snagged a 15-point double-double to boost the Orange in the second half.
The Demon Deacons report
When it comes to women’s basketball, Wake Forest has never been a powerhouse. The Demon Deacons’ last NCAA Tournament appearance came in the 2020-2021 campaign — an abridged season that they still finished with an unremarkable 12-13 record. They’ve only made it to the Big Dance twice, and they’ve only had 20-win seasons in program history.
This year, though, the Demon Deacons have a legitimate chance to change that. Fourth-year head coach Megan Gebbia’s squad has already beat last season’s win total — nine — with 12 wins in 15 games thus far. In just three conference games, Wake Forest has already matched its ACC win total from last year as well.
The improvements are a credit to Gebbia’s shrewd work in the transfer portal. Grace Oliver — who leads the team with 14.3 points per game — arrived from Colorado in the offseason, while Mary Carter, Wake Forest’s second-leading scorer, was poached from Cal Poly.
That duo has led the Demon Deacons to three wins over Power Five programs, with victories over UCF, Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh under their belt thus far.
How Syracuse beats Wake Forest
Let’s not overcomplicate this. When Syracuse can dominate the paint, it wins. So far, there have only been three games where the Orange have lost the rebounding battle. SU has lost two games on the season — to Duke and Michigan — and both defeats came in games where it was outrebounded.
Wake Forest is not a particularly great rebounding team, but the Demon Deacons excel inside the arc, both offensively and defensively. Gebbia’s squad shoots 54.7% on 2-point attempts — ranking 22nd out of 365 Division I teams — and limits opponents to a meager 33.6% field goal percentage. For Syracuse to beat Wake Forest, it needs to simply beat the Demon Deacons at their own game — stuff them in the paint, and capitalize on inside scoring opportunities.
Stat to know: 6.2
Legette-Jack absolutely despises it when her team allows an opponent to get to the line. It’s been a consistent critique from her — even after SU’s more dominant defensive displays.
For that reason, it’s fair to infer Legette-Jack would absolutely love coaching this Demon Deacon squad. Wake Forest allows an average of 6.2 free throw makes and 8.8 free throw attempts per game, both marks ranking second among D-I teams. With a disciplined defense that doesn’t foul, it becomes mightily difficult for opposing offenses to sneak by with a close win.
Player to watch: Grace Oliver, forward, No. 13
The aforementioned Oliver has been the engine behind the Demon Deacons’ remarkable turnaround this season. Last year, she played sparingly as a freshman at Colorado. But Gebbia’s given her the keys now, and she’s flourished in Wake Forest’s frontcourt.
As previously stated, Oliver leads Wake Forest with an average 14.3 points per game. But her efficiency stands out more than anything. Oliver has a 64.1% field goal percentage, which leads the ACC. Her 74.3% percentage inside the arc also leads the conference, while her 69.3% effective field goal percentage also places her atop the league. Syracuse has to limit Oliver’s touches as much as possible, because when she shoots, it quite often goes in.
