Wake Forest University
6-5,0-2ACC
Xavier
9-2,0-0Big East
Wake Forest Tops No. 23 Xavier in the Skip Prosser Classic
12/14/2019 7:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Chaundee Brown engineered a career-high 26 points and six rebounds to lead the Deacs over No. 23 Xavier 80-78 in the Skip Prosser Classic on Saturday evening. Wake's last win in the series was in 2012-13, a 66-59 victory at the LJVM Coliseum.
Brandon Childress added 22 points, while Ody Oguama recorded a team-best three blocks to go along with six boards.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Wake (6-5) took a 12-6 lead behind early threes from Brown and Jahcobi Neath. A 6-0 run from Xavier (9-2) tied the game a 12-all and the Musketeers took their first lead of the night on a three from Quentin Goodin. The Deacs answered back on a 6-0 run in a span of 1:22 to regain a 20-17 lead.
Brown scored double figures early, notching 13 points in the first 12 minutes of action, helping Wake to a 25-20 lead. The Musketeers went 3:25 without a basket, allowing the Deacs to take a 30-26 lead with just under three minutes to play in the half. Brown provided an offensive spark, scoring five points in less than 30 seconds as Wake took a 39-30 lead into halftime.
Brown put together the best half of his career with 18 points. Wake controlled a 25-19 rebound advantage in the frame. The Deacons shot 45 percent in the opening frame and held the Musketeers to a 32 percent clip.
Andrien White hit a pair of free throws out of the break to extend Wake's lead to 11. Xavier chipped away at the Deacs' lead and pulled within one, but Wake Forest answered back as freshmen Ismael Massoud and Jahcobi Neath each hit timely threes to push Wake's lead to 60-48. Back-to-back layups from Brown and Childress handed the Deacs their largest lead of the night, up 13 with 7:14 to play. Xavier again battled back, stringing together a 13-3 run to pull within three with just 4:07 on the clock.
A three from Xavier's Paul Scruggs made it a one possession game, 71-69 in favor of the Deacs. Wake held on to a narrow lead for the remainder of the contest. Childress hit three late free throws and Xavier missed the go-ahead three with just seven seconds on the clock to seal the two-point victory for the Demon Deacons.
QUOTABLE
"Terrific ball game," head coach Danny Manning said. "It came down to the wire and was a little nip and tuck. It turned out the way we wanted it to. I thought that was an outstanding effort by both teams to honor a terrific person in Coach Skip (Prosser)."
NOTEWORTHY
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Wake picked up its first win over a ranked opponent since topping No. 17 NC State 71-67 last season.
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It's the Deacs first win over a ranked non-conference opponent since defeating No. 13 Indiana in the Maui Invitational in 2015.
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Brown notched his third 20 point game of the season and the 11th of his career.
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Wake Forest shot 47 percent from the floor and 44 percent from three. The Deacs went 21-27 from the free throw line including 14-17 in the second half.
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Freshman Jahcobi Neath tied a career-best with nine points, including his first two career three pointers.
UP NEXT
The Deacons will conclude their three-game homestand, welcoming NC A&T on Saturday, Dec. 21. Tip off is set for noon on the ACC Network.
