Wake Forest University
Georgia Tech
Demon Deacons Get Past Georgia Tech 59-50
2/15/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 15, 2012
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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest's Travis McKie posted a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds, and the Demon Deacons used a late run to earn a 59-50 win over Georgia Tech on Wednesday at the Lawrence Joel Coliseum.
Sophomore forward Travis McKie put together one of his best performances of the season, willing the Demon Deacons back to the lead on two separate occasions and securing a fifth double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds.
McKie was joined in double figures by sophomore point guard Tony Chennault, who finished with 12 points and a career-high eight rebounds, and senior forward Nikita Mescheriakov - who scored 11 points to finish in double-digits for the second consecutive game.
With the win, the Demon Deacons improve to 12-14 overall and 3-9 in the ACC and snapped a season-high six game losing streak. Georgia Tech dropped to 9-16 on the season and 2-9 in the ACC.
Junior guard C.J. Harris was held well below his 17 point average, but did contribute a season-high six assists to go along with eight points and four clutch free throws down the stretch to help preserve a late lead. Harris had scored in double figures for 24 straight games, which was the 11th-longest streak by a Deacon since 1970.
Georgia Tech jumped ahead early, 5-2, but Travis McKie brought the Deacons back with a pair of free throws and a strong move to the hoop for a lay-in.
Nikita Mescheriakov supplied the next five points as Wake stormed onward in its 7-0 run. Chennault found the senior forward under the iron for an uncontested layup and then drained a three from the right wing at the 13:35 mark to give Wake an 11-7 advantage.
Georgia Tech reclaimed the lead briefly at 14-13, but Wake responded with a 6-0 run finished off by a Mescheriakov tip-in.
With time dwindling in the half, Harris knocked down a 20-footer from the top of the key just before the buzzer to extend the Deacs' lead to a game-high seven points, 24-17, at the break.
The Deacs shot just 28 percent in the first half, but held GT to 17 points - the lowest total for a Wake Forest opponent in any half this season.
Both teams came out slow in the second half, but Georgia Tech grabbed a three-point lead just over six minutes in until McKie locked things back up at the 12:46 mark, 31-31, with a triple from the wing. The Deacons reclaimed the lead 27 seconds later on a fast break bucket by McKie.
Trailing 39-35, Chase Fischer hit his first 3-pointer of the night to bring Wake back within one with 8:21 to play.
Georgia Tech led until the 5:48 mark when McKie buried another triple to kick start a 9-0 run to put Wake up 49-41 with 2:42 to play.
The Yellow Jackets crept back to within four, but Chennault and McKie each knocked down a pair of free throws to extend Wake's lead to eight, 53-45, with just 35 seconds to play. Wake then closed out the win with four straight free throws by Harris and an emphatic breakaway slam on the game's final play by Mescheriakov.
Next up for the Deacs will be a road trip to take on Miami on Saturday, Feb. 18 in Coral Gables, Fla. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the BankUnited Center.
Postgame Press Conference & Player Interviews:
