Wake Forest Athletics
Demon Deacons Bounced from NIT
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - Dan Langhi scored a career-high 19 points off the bench as Vanderbilt notched its first 20-win season in four years with a 72-68 victory over Wake Forest in the second round of the NIT on Tuesday night.
Langhi, who had 16 points in Vanderbilt's first-round win last week against St. Bonaventure, rallied the Commodores (20-12) from an eight-point second half deficit with 11 points in the final 5:35.
Wake Forest (16-14) lost for only the fourth time in the last 64 non-conference games at Joel Coliseum.
Vanderbilt, a team with several key injuries, was able to pull out the win despite All-SEC guard Drew Maddux going 0-for-6 from the field in the second half. Maddux finished with 17 points in 40 minutes.
Tony Rutland led Wake Forest with 15 points, but he missed two crucial 3-pointers down the stretch.
Vanderbilt trailed by as many as eight points midway through the second half before rallying behind Langhi, whose layup and 3-pointer with 4:41 remaining tied the score at 59-59.
Robert O'Kelley countered with a 3-pointer 28 seconds later and the lead changed hands twice before a pair of free throws by James Strong with 1:33 left gave the Commodores the lead for good at 67-66.
Austin Bates' layup from Maddux with 47 seconds left and a pair of free throws by Langhi sealed the win.
A key defensive play was turned in by Vince Ford, who blocked a driving shot by O'Kelley with 1:07 left and Vanderbilt clinging to a one-point lead.
Langhi's previous career best was 18 points earlier this season against Furman.
