Wake Forest University
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UNC Asheville
Deacons Hold Off UNC Asheville to Win Opener 80-69
11/14/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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By Jay Garneau, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@TieDyeNation)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Devin Thomas matched his career-high of 25 points, also pulling down 13 boards to lead Wake Forest men's basketball in an 80-69 season-opening victory over UNC Asheville in the second annual Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Classic on Friday night.
Wake Forest (1-0) won its season-opener for the 20th time in the last 21 seasons, holding off a pesky Bulldog team which kept the game within five points for much of the second half.
Konstantinos Mitoglou shined in his first collegiate game, totaling 17 points, eight rebounds and a pair of blocks, going 9-of-10 from the charity stripe.
Codi Miller-McIntyre added eight points, eight rebounds and two steals, while Madison Jones chipped in nine points, four boards and six assists.
Thomas controlled the game down low, shooting 7-of-9 from the floor. He posted team-highs in points, rebounds and free throws made (11) and matched Mitoglou in blocks (two), as he posted his 10th career double-double.
Wake Forest won the rebounding battle 49-25, and took advantage of the UNC Asheville (0-1) foul trouble, sinking 32 free throws on 45 attempts.
The Deacs shot 50 percent (22-of-44) from the field, limiting the Bulldogs to 32.3 percent (20-of-62).
Miller-McIntyre scored six early points as the Demon Deacons jumped out to a 16-6 lead nine minutes in.
The Bulldogs chipped away at the margin, eventually cutting it to two before a Thomas free throw and Miles Overton trey made it 29-23 with six minutes to play in the first half.
Wake Forest and UNC Asheville traded buckets the remainder of the half, with the Deacons taking a 37-32 lead into the break.
UNC Asheville twice cut its deficit to two early in the second half, including 49-47 at the 11:26 mark.
The Demon Deacons responded with a 13-2 spurt, keyed in part by a Mitchell Wilbekin triple for his first career points, as Wake Forest took a 62-49 advantage.
The Bulldogs battled back again, getting within five, 74-69, with 1:23 to play.
Wake Forest stopped the rally there, closing the game on a 6-0 run to finish out the victory.
UNC Asheville's Andrew Rowsey scored a game-high 26 points on 9-of-21 shooting, also earning six steals.
STRONG DEBUTS
• Konstantinos Mitoglou was second on the team in points (17) and rebounds (eight), tying for the team-lead in blocks (two).
• Cornelius Hudson totaled seven points and six boards, shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.
• Mitchell Wilbekin hit a big 3-pointer to stop a Bulldog rally, also dishing out two assists.
• Graduate student Darius Leonard finished with six points, three rebounds and a steal.
• After redshirting due to injury a year ago, Greg McClinton recorded two points, four rebounds and two assists as a starting forward.
GOOD DOWN LOW
• Wake Forest more than doubled UNC Asheville's defensive rebounding output, holding a 37-17 advantage in that category.
• The Deacons scored 34 points in the paint and 11 second-chance points, conceding only 18 points down low and three second-chance points.
SHAKING OFF THE RUST
• UNC Asheville forced the Deacons into 24 turnovers, holding a 21-10 advantage in points off turnovers.
ON DECK
• Wake Forest travels to New Orleans for its road-opener, taking on Tulane on Monday at 8 p.m. ET.
