Wake Forest University
Duke
Wake Forest Falls Short Against No. 14 Duke
1/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2016
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@TieDyeNation)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Despite 20-point scoring efforts from seniors Devin Thomas and Codi Miller-McIntyre, the Wake Forest men's basketball team fell, 91-75, to No. 14-ranked Duke in its first home ACC game of the season on Wednesday evening at the LJVM Coliseum.
The loss dropped the Demon Deacons to 9-5 on the season and 0-2 in conference play. They are now 1-4 against ranked opponents on the year. The reigning NCAA champion Blue Devils improved to 13-2 with a 2-0 league ledger.
Thomas scored 21 points, surpassing 20 points for the sixth time this year, and also posted 12 rebounds and three assists to pace the team in all three categories for the second time this year. He picked up his eighth double-double of the season. Miller-McIntyre doubled his best scoring output of the year with 20 points. The Concord, N.C. native also chipped in seven boards.
Wednesday's effort by the duo marked the first time this season two Deacs reached 20 points in one game.
In the first half, Duke used a 17-7 run to power its way to a 41-29 advantage. Wake Forest fought back, however, going on a 16-5 run of its own to pull within one at 46-45 before going into the break trailing by just three at 50-47.
Thomas scored eight points over the four-minute stretch that put the Deacons back within striking distance and finished the half with 17 points and eight rebounds.
Duke shot 60 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes, including going 5-for-10 from beyond the arc.
The Deacs opened the second half by pulling within one again with a Thomas dunk, but the Blue Devils reeled of an 8-1 run to earn an eight-point cushion. Wake Forest pulled within two on two occasions, but Duke pulled away in the final 10 minutes to seal the win.
Grayson Allen led four Blue Devils in double-figure scoring with 24 points, while Cornelius Hudson and John Collins scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, to give the Demon Deacons four double-digit scorers of their own.
Wake Forest returns to action Sunday with an 8 p.m. contest against in-state foe NC State. The Demon Deacons travel to Virginia Tech next Wednesday.
THOMAS MOVING UP THE RECORD BOOKS
• Devin Thomas led Wake Forest with 21 points and 12 rebounds, giving him his 29th career double-double.
• Thomas' 29 career double-doubles leads all active ACC players and ties Al-Farouq Aminu for sixth in Wake Forest history.
• This is Thomas' second consecutive double-double to begin ACC play and his team-leading eighth of the season.
• The Harrisburg, Pa. native led the team with 21 points, 12 rebounds and three assists, leading the team in all three categories for the second time this year. He also accomplished the feat in a season-opening win over UMBC.
CAREER AND SEASON-HIGHS
• Senior guard Codi Miller-McIntyre notched a season-high 20 points.
• Freshman forward John Collins provided support from the bench, recording his ACC career-highs in points (11), rebounds (seven), free-throws made (three), and free-throw attempts (six). This is the ninth time this season that Collins has come off the bench and reached double-figures.
HIGH-LEVEL FIRST HALF
• Duke led Wake Forest, 50-47, at the half, with both teams shooting over 50 percent from the field.
• The scoring output tied for the most combined points in a half this season in a Wake Forest game as the Deacs were also outscored 50-47 in the second half by Coastal Carolina in an 83-77 victory.
STEADY SENIORS
• Seniors Devin Thomas and Codi Miller-McIntyre combined for 41 points and 19 rebounds, their highest combined total of the season in each category.
• This is the first time Wake has had two players over 20 points since Thomas and Miller-McIntyre each reached 20 last year in the ACC Tournament against Virginia Tech.
• For Thomas, this was the fourth time this season in which he has reached 20 points and 10 rebounds, surpassing his total from last season.
DOMINATING THE BOARDS
• Wake Forest outrebounded the Blue Devils 39-30, the eighth time in 14 games the Deacons have won the rebounding battle this season.
• The Deacs are now 7-2 on the season when they outrebound their opponents.
• The Deacons' 19 offensive rebounds are their second most on the season and the most since they recorded 24 in their season-opener against UMBC.
• Wake's 20 second-chance points are a season-high, eclipsing their previous high when they recorded 17 in their second game of the season against Bucknell.
