Wake Forest University
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North Florida
Deacons Edge North Florida, 60-57
12/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 14, 2009
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - North Florida came within one point of catching the Demon Deacons with five seconds to play, but a pair of free throws from Brooke Thomas sealed a 60-57 Wake Forest women's basketball victory on Monday afternoon in Winston-Salem.
Wake Forest improves to 7-2 with the win and North Florida falls to 1-7.
UNF's Brittany Kirkland led all scorers with 23 points. Brittany Waters had the Demon Deacon team-high 14 points and Secily Ray had the game-high 11 rebounds. Ray also put up 10 points, marking her second double-double of the season.
Freshman Asia Williams played 19 minutes and recorded a career-high six steals, aiding it the Wake Forest transition game which gave the Deacons an edge in the second half.
Less than stellar Demon Deacon shooting percentages in the second half allowed the Ospreys to stay close in the final 20 minutes. After putting up 7-for-13 in the first half, Wake Forest was just 4-for-13 in the second and exactly 50 percent from the free throw line. Wake Forest and North Florida both scored 25 points in the second half, so the three point Demon Deacon lead at halftime proved to be a crucial in the Wake Forest win.
An opening 4-for-4 performance from the beyond the arc in the first five minutes helped the Demon Deacons build a nine point lead by 15:51. Secily Ray, Courteney Morris and Brooke Thomas each added a trey during the first half and Lakevia Boykin and Brittany Waters added two 3-point baskets in the first 20 minutes.
Wake Forest couldn't gain a double-digit lead and the Ospreys were able to stay close by out-rebounding the Deacons 23-14 in the first half in addition to the contributions of sharp-shooter Brittany Kirkland who added 13 of North Florida's 32 first half points.
The Demon Deacon transition game gave Wake Forest a decisive edge during the final minutes. Wake Forest picked up 12 points off North Florida turnovers to UNF's one point off Demon Deacon turnovers during the second half.
Wake Forest will next face South Carolina in Columbia, S.C. on Thursday, November 17. The game will be televised on Fox Sports. - www.WakeForestSports.com -
