Wake Forest Athletics
Deacons Get Back Into Action Tuesday Night Against DePaul
12/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 8, 2005
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Game No. 9 / Lawrence Joel Coliseum
#20/21 Wake Forest (7-1) vs.
DePaul (3-3)
Tip-Off: 9:02 p.m.
TV: ESPN. Dave O'Brien (play-by-play) and Rick Majerus (color) call the action. Phil Dean is the producer.
Radio: ISP/Deacon Radio Network. Stan Cotten (play-by-play) and Mark Freidinger (color analysis) call the action.
Records: Wake Forest is 7-1 after a 78-59 win against Elon Dec. 4 in the Greensboro Coliseum. DePaul is 3-3 heading into Friday night's game at Dayton.
Rankings: Wake Forest is ranked 20th in the Associated Press poll and 21st in the ESPN/USA Today polls. DePaul is not ranked.
Coaches: Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser (U.S. Merchant Marine Academy `72) is 101-36 (.737) in his fifth season with the Demon Deacons, 266-114 (.700) in his 13th season overall. DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright (Colorado College `68) is 3-3 in his first season with the Blue Demons, 189-147 in 12 seasons overall.
Series: Wake Forest leads the all-time series, 2-0.
On Deck: Wake Forest hosts Princeton Dec. 17th at 4 p.m. DePaul plays at Old Dominion Dec. 17th.
Officials: Announced on game day.
Deacons Will Get Back In Action Tuesday Night Against DePaul
Wake Forest, a winner of five straight, will resume play, after a week of final exams, Tuesday night against DePaul in Lawrence Joel Coliseum (9:02 p.m./ESPN).
The 20th-ranked (21st in ESPN/USA Today) Demon Deacons, 7-1, have not played since a 78-59 win Dec. 3 against Elon in the Greensboro Coliseum. Wake Forest has not practiced as a team all this week because of exams.
DePaul, 3-3, plays at Dayton Friday night. The Blue Demons have faced a difficult schedule, earning wins against Northwestern, Creighton and UAB. One of DePaul's losses came against Bucknell, whose assistant coach Mark Prosser is the son of Deacon head coach Skip Prosser.
DePaul is coached by former Wake Forest assistant coach Jerry Wainwright, who is in his first season with the Blue Demons.
Tuesday's game marks the first meeting between Wake Forest and DePaul since a memorable 73-71 Deacon victory in overtime in the 1984 NCAA Tournament. That game was the final one for legendary Blue Demon coach Ray Meyer.
Wake leads the all-time series with DePaul, 2-0.
Deacon Streaks And Trends
- Wake Forest owns a 21-game home court win streak -- the fifth-longest current streak nationally. Wake has won 28 straight home games vs. non-ACC teams.
- The Deacons have been ranked in the Associated Press poll for a school record 56 straight weeks.
- Wake Forest has out-rebounded all eight opponents this season while holding each opponent to less than 50 percent shooting.
Gray Named ACC Player Of The Week
Wake Forest's Justin Gray was selected as the ACC Player of the Week after leading the Demon Deacons to a pair of victories including a win over Wisconsin in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge last week.
The senior guard started the week scoring a career-high 37 points in Wake Forest's 91-88 win over Wisconsin. Gray went 11-for-20 from the field while going a perfect 13-for-13 from the charity stripe. His 37-point effort against the Badgers tied a Lawrence Joel Coliseum record as well as an ACC/Big Ten Challenge record for points in a game.
Against the Phoenix, the Charlotte native shot 67 percent from the floor on 8-of-12 shooting including 4-of-7 from long range in the 19-point win over Elon. For the week, Gray registered 59 points connecting on 19-of-32 field goal attempts. He went a perfect 15-of-15 from the free throw line in the two games and is shooting 83 percent on the season. Gray and the Demon Deacons are back in action on Tuesday, December 13 as they host DePaul in a game shown nationally on ESPN at 9:05 pm.
Gray is the second Demon Deacon, joining Trent Strickland, to earn ACC Player of the Week honors this season. Gray has earned the honor four times in his career, including twice as a sophomore and once as a junior.
Prosser Gets 100th Win At Wake Forest; Career Win Percentage At .700
In just four-plus seasons at Wake Forest, head coach Skip Prosser's teams have accumulated 101 victories. His record stands at 101-36.
Prosser's career record is 266-114 (.700) in 13 seasons overall.
In each of Prosser's four previous seasons with the Deacons, Wake Forest has won at least 20 games, produced a winning record in the rugged ACC and earned an NCAA Tournament berth.
Prosser will coach his 138th Wake Forest game Tuesday. What his teams have accomplished statistically in his tenure is remarkable:
- Wake Forest is 62-6 at home with just one loss coming to a non-conference opponent.
- Prosser's teams are 13-5 in games decided by three points or less.
- His teams are 95-5 when leading with 5:00 remaining.
- Wake Forest has out-rebounded its opponent in 104 of 137 games under Prosser.
- The Deacons have scored 100-plus points nine times.
- Prosser is a combined 42-5 in games played in November and December.
Deacs Own 21-Game Home Win Streak
Wake Forest has the nation's fifth-longest current homecourt winning streak at 21 games. The Deacons have not lost in Lawrence Joel Coliseum since March 6, 2004 versus NC State.
The 21-game home court win streak is the third-longest in school history.
The Deacons have won 51 of their last 52 non-conference home games.
The Last Wake Forest-DePaul Game Was A Classic
The last time Wake Forest and DePaul met on the hardwood -- March 23, 1984 in the NCAA Tournament in St. Louis -- the Demon Deacons earned one of their greatest all-time victories by knocking off the No. 4 Blue Demons.
For DePaul, the 73-71 loss in overtime signaled the end of coach Ray Meyer's illustrious career with the Blue Demons. Meyer stepped down after 42 years and 724 wins.
For Wake Forest, the win sent the Deacons into a regional final, where it lost to Houston.
Wake Forest sent the game into overtime when Delaney Rudd hit a jumpshot at the buzzer. In the extra period, Danny Young hit an off-balance shot as time expired to give the Deacons the two-point win.
Wake Forest In The Polls For A School-Record 56th Consecutive Week
Wake Forest is ranked 20th this week in the Associated Press poll -- the 56th straight week the Demon Deacons have been ranked in the AP top 25.
Wake broke the school record of 54 held by Deacon teams of the Tim Duncan era from 1995 to 1997.
The Deacons are ranked 21st in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
Wake moved up two spots in both polls after defeating Wisconsin and Elon last week.
Only Duke, Kentucky and Arizona have been ranked in more consecutive polls than the Deacons.
In five seasons under coach Skip Prosser, Wake Forest has been ranked in the AP poll every week but four.
Six of the ACC's 12 teams are ranked in the national polls this week.
Wake vs. DePaul: Series History
- Wake Forest leads the all-time series, 2-0.
- Both previous meetings have come on neutral courts.
- As mentioned on pages 1 and 2, the last meeting was a 73-71 Wake Forest victory in overtime in the 1984 NCAA Tournament regional semifinals in St. Louis.
- The first meeting between the two teams came in the 1956 Dixie Classic in Raleigh. Wake Forest won that game, 74-68.
- Wake Forest head coach Skip Prosser is 1-0 all-time versus DePaul, with that win coming while coaching at Xavier.
- DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright is 0-5 all-time against Wake Forest during his tenures at UNC-Wilmington and Richmond.
- Wake Forest is 27-37 all-time against teams currently in the newly-expanded Big East Conference.
- The Deacons' last game against a Big East team was a 111-105 double-overtime loss to West Virginia last season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
- Wake is 4-4 all-time against teams from Illinois.
DePaul's Wainwright Has Ties To Wake
Jerry Wainwright, the DePaul head coach, was an assistant coach at Wake Forest for nine years. He worked under Bob Staak from 1986-89 and under Dave Odom from 1989-94.
Wainwright, like the current Wake Forest coaching staff, also has ties to Xavier. He broke into the college coaching ranks as an assistant at Xavier in 1984-85. Deacon head coach Skip Prosser also previously served as an assistant and head coach with the Musketeers. Wake associate head coaches Dino Gaudio and Jeff Battle previously served as Xavier assistant coaches and WFU assistant coach Pat Kelsey played under Prosser at Xavier.
Wainwright is 0-5 all-time against Wake Forest including an 0-3 mark while at Richmond.
Notice A Difference?
Many DePaul players come from big cities such as Chicago, Detroit and Milwaukee. Most Wake Forest players are from small towns such as East Flat Rock, Rural Hall and Black Mountain.
On This Date In Deacon History
December 13th -- Wake Forest will play on this date for just the seventh time in school history and the Deacons are just 2-5 when playing on December 13th.
Wake has never played in Winston-Salem on this date.
On Dec. 13, 1969, Wake Forest won at Maryland, 104-87 -- the most points the Deacons have ever scored against the Terrapins.
Deacons Owning The Glass So Far
Rebounding is a key to Wake Forest's success and so far the Deacons have responded.
Wake Forest has out-rebounded all eight opponents this season and owns a rebound margin of +9.8. Yes, we know it's early, but the last two times the Deacons had a rebound margin of +9.0 or better, they won an ACC championship (1961) and won an ACC regular season title (2003).
Again, it's early, but Wake's rebound margin is the highest in school history. In 2003, the Deacs led the nation in rebound margin at +9.7.
Wake ranks second in the ACC and 12th in the nation in rebound margin. The Deacons rank first in the ACC in rebound average.
Trent Strickland (9.4 rpg), Kyle Visser (8.1 rpg) and Eric Williams (7.9 rpg) all rank in the top eight in the ACC in rebounding.
Wisconsin entered its game against Wake with a +12.7 rebound margin. The Deacons out-rebounded the Badgers, 45-36. Against Texas Tech on Nov. 18, the Deacons pulled down 66 rebounds -- the second-most single-game boards in school history.
Defense Has Been Better This Season
The statistics show that Wake Forest is a much better defensive team this season.
The Deacons are holding opponents to 37.7 percent shooting (2nd in the ACC) and they lead the ACC in blocked shots per game (6.88).
No Wake Forest opponent has shot better than 48.1 percent against the Deacons. Wake has held five of its opponents to less than 40 percent shooting.
Strickland May Be One Of The Nation's Most Improved Players
Wake Forest senior Trent Strickland has often been compared to former Deacon Josh Howard. That's an unfair comparison, seeing how Howard was an NBA first-round draft pick and is currently the Dallas Mavericks' second-leading scorer.
Yet Strickland continues to play much like Howard, the 2003 ACC Player of the Year.
- He has earned four double-doubles this season -- the first four double-doubles of his career.
- Entering this season, Strickland had never pulled down more than eight rebounds in a game. He has five double-figure rebound games this season including 16 against Texas Tech on Nov. 18.
- Strickland is one of the ACC's leading scorers (15.8 ppg) and rebounders (9.4 rpg).
- He has nearly tripled his scoring average from one year ago.
- He made his first six three-point field goal attempts of the season and is currently shooting 50 percent (10-of-20) from behind the arc.
- Strickland has already made 10 three-point field goals. He made 10 all of last season.
- He is shooting 61.8 percent from the field, which ranks fifth in the ACC
- Strickland was named MVP of the 2k Classic Winston-Salem Regional.
- He was named ACC Player of the Week Nov. 14.
Strickland In 2005-06
vs. Mississippi Valley 16 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 6-7 FGs
vs. George Mason 18 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 6-9 FGs
vs. Florida 18 points, 7 rebounds, 2-2 3pt FGs
vs. Texas Tech 16 points, *16 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
vs. UNC-Asheville 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals
vs. Appalachian State *25 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals
vs. Wisconsin 9 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks
at Elon 10 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
* Career high
Seniors Have Accomplished Much
Wake Forest's senior class has combined to go 80-23 over the last four years, including a 35-13 mark in the ACC. No team has won more ACC games during that stretch.
The seniors are 17 victories away from tying the school record for the most wins over a four-year period. That record of 97 wins was set from 1994 to 1997 when Tim Duncan played for the Deacons.
Wake's five seniors are John Buck, Chris Ellis, Justin Gray, Trent Strickland and Eric Williams.
Big E Off On Track For Monster Year
Wake Forest senior Eric Williams, who flirted with the NBA Draft before returning to school, is off to the start he had hoped for.
Williams is averaging 15.9 points per game to go with 7.9 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and a team-best 1.5 steals. The 6-9 Williams is shooting 64.3 percent from the field, bolstered by 13 dunks.
Williams ranks among the ACC leaders in six different statistical categories -- field goal percentage (1st), rebounding (10th), defensive rebounds (4th), scoring (11th), offensive boards (12th) and blocked shots (15th).
"Big E" scored in double figures in 21 straight games until that streak ended Nov. 18 against Texas Tech. He has scored at least 20 points in a game twice this season.
Williams Closing In On Milestones
Eric Williams will eclipse several milestones in the next few weeks, putting him in elite Demon Deacon company:
- "Big E" recently scored his 1,300th career point and he ranks 24th in Wake Forest scoring history.
- Williams is shooting 58.6 percent for his career, which ranks second in Wake Forest history and 18th in ACC history.
- He ranks 22nd in Wake Forest career rebounding history and is 12 boards shy of taking over 21st place.
- Williams has 100 career steals.
- He has 84 career blocked shots, which ranks 11th in Wake Forest history.
- He has played in 102 games and has started 95 times. Williams will soon be the 10th player in Wake Forest history to start 100 games.
- He needs four free throws to have 300 for his career.
- Williams has 139 career dunks.
Gray Finding All-American Form
After a sluggish start, senior All-American candidate Justin Gray is putting up huge numbers.
Over the last six games Gray has averaged 21.8 points, 3.5 three-point field goals and 3.3 assists per game. More on Gray:
- He has made 23 consecutive free throws, upping his free throw percentage to .825.
- Gray has scored in double figures in every game this season.
- He has made at least one three-point field goal in 57 of his last 59 games.
- He has nearly twice as many assists (33) as any other Deacon.
- Gray ranks second in the ACC in scoring, fourth in three-point field goals, eighth in assists and 14th in free throw percentage.
- Against Texas Tech Nov. 18, Wake trailed 64-60 with a minute left in the first overtime. That's when Gray buried a deep 3-pointer to cut the lead to one. Gray hit another long three to tie it with 3.7 seconds left. The Deacons went on to win 78-73 in two overtimes.
- He scored 37 points Nov. 29 against Wisconsin.
Gray Moving Up Records Ladder
Senior Justin Gray ranks 17th in Wake Forest history with 1,503 career points. Gray is moving up in other categories in the Wake Forest record book:
- Gray has 245 career three-point field goals, which rank fifth in Wake Forest history and 17th in ACC history.
- With 652 career three-point attempts, he ranks fourth in Wake Forest history.
- He has 274 career assists, which ranks 13th in Demon Deacon history.
- Gray has 110 career steals, also approaching the top 10 in that category.
Wake Forest Career Scoring Leaders
Rk. Player Years GP Points
1. Dickie Hemric 1952-55 113 2,587
2. Randolph Childress 1991-95 120 2,208
3. Len Chappell 1960-62 87 2,165
4. Tim Duncan 1994-97 128 2,117
5. Skip Brown 1974-77 108 2,034
6. Rod Griffin 1975-78 107 1,985
7. Charlie Davis 1969-71 79 1,970
8. Robert O'Kelley 1998-01 127 1,885
9. Darius Songaila 1999-02 130 1,859
10. Josh Howard 2000-03 127 1,765
11. Frank Johnson 1977-81 120 1,749
12. Chris King 1988-92 113 1,721
13. Rodney Rogers 1991-93 89 1,720
14. Bob Leonard 1964-66 80 1,637
15. Lefty Davis 1953-56 84 1,564
16. Sam Ivy 1987-90 111 1,551
17. Justin Gray 2003- 95 1,503
18. Jack Williams 1953, 56-57 82 1,453
19. Alvis Rogers 1979-83 114 1,441
20. Jerry Schellenberg 1974-77 109 1,366
21. Craig Dawson 1999-02 128 1,342
22. Delaney Rudd 1982-85 114 1,329
23. Billy Packer 1960-62 89 1,316
24. Eric Williams 2003- 103 1,310
Not Bad For A Non-Scholarship Guy
Junior transfer Michael Drum started in the season opener, becoming the first non-scholarship player to start for the Deacons since Jim Fitzpatrick in 1999-00.
Drum started the first four games of the season. Fitzpatrick made five starts as a walk-on senior.
Even when coming off the bench, Drum has been solid. He averages 6.3 points per game, has made eight three-point field goals and shoots a team-best 84.2 percent from the free throw line.
Hale Not Freezing Over
Freshman Harvey Hale was inserted into the starting lineup at point guard Nov. 21 against UNC-Asheville. Since then, the Deacons have gone 4-0.
Hale is averaging 5.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. But more importantly, Hale has allowed Justin Gray to see more time at his natural position of shooting guard.
Not Quite Like Dad, But Pretty Good
Senior Chris Ellis isn't the perimeter shooter his dad, Dale, was at Tennessee and in the NBA. Then again, few are.
Chris, however, has emerged as a dangerous three-point shooter, despite a somewhat awkward shot. He is 9-of-16 (.563) from three-point range this season.
Ellis had no three-pointers as a freshman or sophomore, and he made 11 all of last season as a junior.
Ellis ranks second in the ACC in three-point field goal percentage and third in blocked shots.
Deacs Already 2-0 In Overtime Games
This year's Wake Forest team has already done something last year's team did not do -- win an overtime game. And the Deacons have done it twice.
Wake beat George Mason in overtime on Nov. 11, then topped Texas Tech in double-overtime on Nov. 18.
Last year the Deacons went 0-3 in overtime games, including a double-overtime loss to West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Deacs have a long way to go to tie the school and ACC record of seven overtimes in one season, set in 1984.
Wake Forest is 46-47 all-time in overtime games.
Deacons Renew Four In-State Rivalries
The Wake Forest schedule has a strong state of North Carolina flavor this year as the Demon Deacons play eight different teams from within the state boundaries.
Four of those opponents -- UNC-Asheville, Appalachian State, East Carolina and Charlotte -- are back on the schedule after a lengthy layoff.
Appalachian State, which Wake Forest beat 91-78 on Nov. 25, is back on the schedule for the first time in 10 years. The two teams have met 19 times since 1950.
UNC-Asheville, which Wake Forest beat Nov. 21, played the Deacons for the first time in more than 20 years. It has also been nearly 20 years since the Deacons played East Carolina.
The Deacons also play Elon, a team that has been a regular part of the Wake non-conference schedule recently. There are also a combined five games against in-state ACC opponents Duke, North Carolina and NC State.
Gray Ties Records With 37-Point Effort
Senior Justin Gray demonstrated why he is an All-American candidate and he tied a pair of records when he scored 37 points against Wisconsin Nov. 29.
Gray made 11-of-20 shots and 13-of-13 free throws in 37 minutes. He registered career highs for points, field goals, free throws and free throw attempts.
More on Gray's performance:
- His 37 points tied a Lawrence Joel Coliseum record set by Florida State's Ron Hale and Virginia's Bryant Stith.
- He tied for the most points scored by any player in an ACC/Big Ten Challenge game.
- His 37 points were the most by a Deacon since Craig Dawson scored 38 points in a double-overtime loss at Clemson on Feb. 13, 2002.
- His 13-of-13 effort from the free throw line tied for the best by a Deacon in the Skip Prosser era.
Most Points/Joel Coliseum History
37, Justin Gray vs. Wisconsin, Nov. 29, 2005
37, Ron Hale of Florida State, Jan. 4, 2000
37, Bryant Stith of Virginia, Jan. 28, 1990
Most Points/Skip Prosser Era
38, Craig Dawson at Clemson (2 ot), Feb. 13, 2002
37, Justin Gray vs. Wisconsin, Nov. 29, 2005
32, Josh Howard at North Carolina, Feb. 2, 2003
Deacons Sign Five To Letters Of Intent
Five highly-regarded high school seniors have signed letters-of-intent to play basketball at Wake Forest next season.
L.D. Williams (East Bend, NC), Jamie Skeen (Charlotte, NC), Ishmael Smith (Concord, NC) , Anthony Gurley (Newton, MA) and Chas McFarland (Lovington, IL) all signed official letters of intent.
"I am thrilled with this recruiting class," Prosser said. "It answers many of our needs for the future. While recruiting is the most inexact of sciences, I am confident that this class will allow Wake Forest to compete with the best in the ACC and the best in the nation."
Rivals.com rated the Wake Forest recruiting class 18th nationally.
Williams, 6-4 and 185 pounds, is from the Winston-Salem area but is completing high school at Monteverde Academy in Florida. He is ranked among the top prospects nationally by Rivals.com. Williams chose Wake Forest after receiving a great deal of attention from several schools in the ACC and the SEC.
Skeen, 6-8 and 215, is embarking on his senior season at North Mecklenburg High School. Ranked among the nation's top 150 prospects, he is considered one of the nation's top high school senior small forwards. An all-state performer in 2005, Skeen led his team to the state 4A championship last season. Skeen was North Carolina's Mr. Basketball in 2005.
Smith, 5-11 and 155, gives Wake Forest an outstanding prospect at point guard. He plays for Central Cabarrus High School. Smith is considered one of the quickest players in this year's class. Smith led Central Cabarrus to a 20-8 record and to the sectional finals last season as a junior. He plays for coach Scott Brewer.
Gurley is ranked among the nation's top prep prospects by Rivals. The 6-3, 185-pound Newton North High School senior is ranked as the 22nd-best shooting guard prospect. He averaged 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists per game last season for coach Paul Connolly's team, which won the state championship last season.
McFarland, 7-0, averaged 16.7 points, 14.3 rebounds and 7.5 blocked shots per game last season at Lovington High School in Illinois, where he was an all-state selection. McFarland is playing this season at Worcester (Mass.) Academy for coach Ed Reilly.
Gray, Williams Are Wooden Candidates
Wake Forest seniors Justin Gray and Eric Williams were named two of the 50 preseason candidates for the John R. Wooden Award, which goes annually to the nation's top college player.
Gray and Williams are two of eight ACC players on the list, joining Maryland's Nik Caner-Medley, Miami's Guillermo Diaz, Boston College's Jared Dudley and Craig Smith, and Duke's J.J. Redick and Sheldon Williams.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Wake Forest has won 12 straight season openers dating back to a Nov. 25, 1993 loss to Alaska-Anchorage in the opening round of the Great Alaska Shootout.
- The Deacons have not lost a home opener since Nov. 28, 1988, against Richmond, 74-61.
Three Walk-Ons Added To Roster
Three freshmen non-scholarship walk-on players, including two with local ties, were added to the Wake Forest 2005-06 men's basketball roster.
Joining the Deacons are 6-7 forward Bobby Hoekstra (Lewisville, NC), 6-2 guard Matt Smith (Advance, NC) and 6-1 guard Mike Lepore (Flemington, NJ).
Hoekstra is a local product who enjoyed an outstanding prep career at Forsyth Country Day. A basketball and baseball standout for the Furies, Hoekstra averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds per game last season.
Smith played his prep basketball at Davie County High School, where he was all-conference and offensive team MVP.
Lepore played on the high school level at Lawrenceville Prep in New Jersey, where he lettered in both basketball and golf.
Celebrating 100 Seasons
Wake Forest is celebrating its 100th season of basketball in 2005-06 and festivities will go on throughout the year.
A commemorative 100-year logo (see top of box at right) is in place. On the agenda is a reunion of former players and coaches, a throwback (or turn-back-the-clock game) and more.
Deacon Basketball Calendar
December
8 - final exams
9 - 4:00-7:00, practice at Miller Center
10 - 4:00-7:00, practice at Miller Center
11 - 4:00-7:00, practice at Joel Coliseum
12 - 12:00-3:00, practice at Joel Coliseum
12 - Michael Drum's birthday (born in 1983)
13 - 9:00, Wake Forest vs. DePaul, Lawrence Joel Coliseum
14 - 2:00-5:00, practice at Joel Coliseum
15 - 3:00-6:00, practice at Miller Center
16 - 12:00-3:00, practice at Miller Center
17 - 4:00, Wake Forest vs. Princeton, Lawrence Joel Coliseum
18 - day off
18 - San Antonio Spurs (Tim Duncan) at New Orleans Hornets (Chris Paul), 7:00
19 - 12:00-3:00, practice at Miller Center
20 - 12:00-3:00, practice at Miller Center
21 - 10:00-1:00, practice at Miller Center
21 - depart for Richmond
22 - 7:00, Wake Forest at Richmond
23 - day off
24 - day off
25 - day off
26 - day off
Deacons Continue ACC/Big Ten Challenge Success
Aside from last year's thrashing by eventual NCAA runner-up Illinois, the ACC/Big Ten Challenge has been a highly successful event for Wake Forest.
The Demon Deacons are 6-1 all-time in the Challenge, including a 4-0 record at home and a 2-1 mark on the road. Only Duke, which is 7-0, has produced a better record in the Challenge than Wake Forest.
Wake Forest beat Wisconsin, 91-88, Tuesday night behind Justin Gray's ACC/Big Ten Challenge record-tying 37 points.
The ACC has won all seven Commissioner's Cups, including a narrow 6-5 margin this year. The ACC is 40-24 all-time in the Challenge. Newcomer Boston College is the only ACC team that did not participate this year.
Challenge Opponent Date Result
vs. Wisconsin Nov. 29, 2005 W, 91-88
at Illinois Dec. 1, 2004 L, 73-91
vs. Indiana Dec. 2, 2003 W, 100-67
at Wisconsin Dec. 4, 2002 W, 90-80
vs. Minnesota Nov. 27, 2001 W, 85-79
at Michigan Nov. 28, 2000 W, 71-60
vs. Wisconsin Nov. 30, 1999 W, 67-48
