Wake Forest at Miami Prime Matchup: Point Guards Tyree Appleby vs Nigel Pack

The winner of Wake Forest at Miami will likely be determined by point guard play.

This Saturday’s 2 p.m. matchup with the Miami Hurricanes hosting the Wake Forest Demon Deacons will be an excellent matchup of point guards.

For visiting Wake Forest, Tyree Appleby has been his squad’s leader throughout the season, whether connecting on his own shots or being one of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s best passers. His counterpart has played a similar role for Miami.

Nigel Pack can score the basketball off the bounce or as a jump shooter, and he’s made clutch passes all season long. Let’s take a statistical look at how each of these two players has stacked up for tomorrow’s ACC matchup in the Watsco Center.

Appleby’s Statistics

PPG: 18.6

FG%: 42.8

3FG%: 35.7

APP: 6.2

RPG: 3.4

Last game: Appleby scored 16 points and dished out six assists during a 71-70 win over Georgia Tech.

Pack’s Statistics

PPG: 13

FG%: 43.5

3FG%: 41.3

APP: 2.5

RPG: 2.6

Last game: Pack scored 23 points, including 4-of-6 shooting from behind the 3-point arc, in helping Miami defeat North Carolina 80-72 at the Dean Smith Center.

Notable Trends: Appleby has averaged 36.3 minutes per contest, while Pack played 30.9. Both of these squads play better with their floor generals handling the basketball.

Will Nigel Pack or Tyree Appleby come out on top in the big point guard matchup when #WakeForest plays at #Miami on Saturday at 2 p.m.?#TheU | #ACC | #CollegeBasketball pic.twitter.com/qAITfrbb9W

— All Hurricanes (@AllHurricanes) February 16, 2023

Additional statistics: Appleby has averaged 18.1 per game, 6.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds during road games. Pack has generated 12.2 points, 2.9 assists and 2.6 rebounds during home games.

One-on-one: Both players have shown the athleticism to defend high-level ACC guards; the outcome of the Wake Forest at Miami game could come down to which one of Appleby or Pack defends the best. A steal during a crucial moment, or perhaps taking away a passing lane and therefore disrupting a play call could be the difference in the final outcome.

When the Demon Deacons visit the Hurricanes tomorrow, Appleby versus Pack will be the prime matchup to watch.

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