Demon Deacons Battle Oregon In Rainbow Classic
12/28/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 28, 1999
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) -- Wake Forest will look for its fourth straight victory as the 19th-ranked Demon Deacons begin play at the Rainbow Classic against Oregon on Tuesday night without second-leading scorer Darius Songalia.
The Demon Deacons (8-1) lost Songalia with a sprained right knee ligament in a win over High Point on Dec. 17.
Antawn Scott stepped in as a capable replacement scoring a career-high 15 points against High Point. He then registered 12 points and a career-best 11 rebounds in a 70-64 victory over Arkansas on Dec. 20.
"With Songalia out, we asked everybody to give five to eight percent more this game," Wake coach Dave Odom said.
Scott seemed to give more than what Odom asked, hitting a pair of crucial shots in the final minutes.
Robert O'Kelley also played a key role in the win over Arkansas, scoring a team-high 15 points. He leads Wake Forest at 13.8 points per game.
O'Kelley has been vital in helping the Deacons achieve their best start since going 13-0 to begin the 1996-97 campaign, the last time they reached the NCAA Tournament.
Wake Forest has used a strong edge on the boards to win its last three games. The Deacons have outrebounded the opposition by a whopping 139-89 margin, including a 50-33 advantage against Arkansas.
The Ducks (6-1) are led by senior forwards Alex Scales and A.D. Smith, who average 15.4 and 13.6 points.
The duo, which led Oregon to the Final Four of the NIT last season, combined for 28 points in Wednesday's 91-54 trouncing of Northern Arizona.
It was the Ducks' third straight win since a disappointing 79-77 home loss to Cal State-Northridge on Dec. 11.
The only other meeting between these schools came during the 1967-68 season when Oregon posted a 76-58 victory.
The winner of this matchup plays either Ohio or Gonzaga on Wednesday.