Wake Forest University
Middle Tennessee State
Deacs' Run Ends in WNIT Second Round
3/19/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeWBB)
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Wake Forest women's basketball team saw its season come to a close Sunday, as the Demon Deacons fell to Middle Tennessee State, 73-66, in the second round of the WNIT.
Ariel Stephenson scored a team-high 23 points to lead the Deacs while Elisa Penna (17) and Milan Quinn (11) scored in double figures as well for a Wake Forest (16-16) squad that was making its second-straight postseason appearance.
The Blue Raiders (23-10) grabbed an early advantage, scoring the first points of the game less than a minute into play, and would hold the lead for the entire first half. While Middle Tennessee State would build the advantage to as many seven over the course of the first half, the Deacs would keep the game close after shooting 56.5 percent (13-of-23) from the field over the first 20 minutes.
After trailing by two points heading into halftime, Wake Forest gained its first lead of the day with 7:06 remaining in the quarter as a 5-0 run put the Deacs ahead 40-39. Quinn pulled in an offensive board and laid it back in to start the run before Amber Campbell was fouled driving to the basket. Campbell would convert the three-point play as Wake Forest took the lead.
The Deacs and Blue Raiders would trade baskets down the stretch of the third quarter, with Middle Tennessee State taking a four-point lead into the fourth. The Blue Raiders would go on to score the first eight points of the final frame to extend its advantage to 12, forcing a Wake Forest timeout. Wake Forest would eventually respond and trim the deficit to just four with 1:23 remaining, but the Blue Raiders would close out the game to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
Quinn caps her career with 129 career games played, tied for second-most in program history and one shy of matching the program record of 130, set by team's current video coordinator Lakevia Boykin. She ends her time as a Demon Deacon ranking second all-time in career blocks (114), fourth in career double-doubles (22) and fifth in career rebounds with 828.
