Wake Forest Athletics
Hokies Claw Back to Beat Deacs on Senior Night
2/25/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeWBB)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest women's basketball took a seven-point lead to halftime on Senior Night, but Virginia Tech erased a 10-point second-half deficit to claim a 54-48 win at LJVM Coliseum on Thursday night in ACC play.
The loss was Wake Forest's second in a row, as the Demon Deacons now stand at 15-13 overall and 6-9 in the ACC. Virginia Tech is now 16-12 and 4-11 in conference play, as the Hokies ended a four-game losing skid.
Leading 26-19 at the break after Ataijah Taylor knocked down a buzzer-beating three-pointer, the Deacs opened up a 10-point lead at 31-21 with 8:40 to go in the third quarter. From there, Virginia Tech went on an 18-3 run into the fourth quarter to take a 39-34 lead with 7:28 to play.
Down the stretch, Wake Forest battled back from multiple six-point deficits to tie the game at 48 with 1:14 to play, but Virginia Tech forced a turnover and two missed jumpers to secure the win after Hannah Young put the Hokies ahead for good with 54 seconds to go.
The Demon Deacons were led by Milan Quinn's eighth double-double of the season, as the junior notched a team-high 14 points and 13 rebounds on 7-of-12 from the floor. Elisa Penna was the only other Deacon to score in double figures, finishing with 12 points and seven rebounds.
On Senior Night, Kandice Ball got her 12th start of the season and finished with six rebounds and two points. Taylor's night capped with six points, both coming on second-quarter three-pointers. Overall, Wake Forest shot 32.1 percent from the floor, but struggled in the second half with a 28.6 percent clip from the field. Wake Forest also honored graduate student Keyonna Allen and student assistant coach Keri Fulp, as well as managers Taylor Lyons, Cherina McKnight and Ashley Malachi.
The Hokies were led by 15 points apiece from Sidney Cook and Chanette Hicks. Young gave Virginia Tech a third double-figure scorer with 13 points on the evening.
Wake Forest is now in 10th place in the ACC standings after Thursday's results. With victories by both Virginia and Georgia Tech, four teams sit with either six or seven ACC wins this year with one game to go.
Next up, Wake Forest will travel to Georgia Tech on Sunday, Feb. 28, for a 2 p.m. matchup against the Yellow Jackets on ESPN3. Georgia Tech is currently 7-8 in ACC play after a road win over Pittsburgh on Thursday.
Currently, Duke and Georgia Tech are 7-8 in conference play while Wake Forest and Virginia each stand at 6-9. Pending results on Sunday, Wake Forest can finish anywhere from No. 7 to No. 10 in the conference, as the Deacons would hold the tiebreaker over Georgia Tech with a win Sunday against the Jackets. Also with a win Sunday, Wake Forest would win the tiebreaker against Duke if the Blue Devils fall to North Carolina. Virginia is the only team Wake Forest does not hold the tiebreaker against due to the 52-50 win on Jan. 10 by the Cavaliers. UVA will take on Virginia Tech in the season finale on Sunday in Blacksburg.
