Wake Forest University
2-0,0-0ACC
Cornell
1-1,0-0Ivy League
Spear’s Career Night Leads Deacs to Home-Opening Win Versus Cornell
11/12/2021 6:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The sophomore guard poured in a career-high 32 points as she is the first Demon Deacon to reach the 30-point mark since Dearica Hemby in 2015.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Behind a career-high 32 points from sophomore guard Jewel Spear, the Wake Forest women's basketball team posted a 64-42 home-opening victory versus Cornell on Friday evening inside Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Spear became the first Demon Deacon to reach the 30-point mark since Dearica Hamby on Feb. 28, 2015 as the Colony, Texas, native finished 12-of-16 from the field, including a career-high-tying seven three pointers. This marks the seventh-straight game Spear reached double figures and the fourth 20-point performance of her career.
Wake Forest (2-0) used a pair of double-digit first half runs to jump out to a double-digit lead over Cornell (1-1) after the first half of game action. After pushing their lead to 13 heading into the final frame, the Demon Deacons clinched their second victory of the season with an 8-0 run in the opening moments of the fourth quarter.
Junior guard Alexandria Scruggs added seven points and two assists off the bench for the Deacs, while freshman guard Elise Williams, sophomore forward Demeara Hinds and senior forward Christina Morra each tallied six points, respectively. Hinds pulled down a team-leading seven rebounds, while junior forward Olivia Summiel grabbed six boards.
The Demon Deacons forced Cornell to shoot just 32.7 percent (16-of-49) over the course of the game as the Big Red's 42 was the least amount of points given up by Wake Forest since Jan. 27, 2019 against Virginia.
HOW IT HAPPENED
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The Demon Deacons jumped out to a 7-2 lead four minutes into the opening frame, highlighted by five quick points from Jewel Spear.
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Spear got the Deacs on the board with a three pointer immediately after Christina Morra won the tip and a driving layup.
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Kaia Harrison went coast-to-coast following a steal for Wake Forest's second bucket.
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During that stretch, Morra pulled down a pair of offensive rebounds.
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After Cornell tied the game at seven following the first media timeout of the game, Wake Forest embarked on a 8-0 run over four minutes of game action to regain the lead (15-7) with three seconds left in the quarter.
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Morra and Spear opened the run with athletic layups, while Demeara Hinds tallied the Deacs first second-chance points after an offensive rebound. Elise Williams capped off the run with an and-one lay in.
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A successful trip to the free throw line by the Big Red gave Wake Forest a 15-9 lead following the opening 10 minutes.
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The Deacs controlled the glass in the first quarter, doubling Cornell in the rebounding department (10-5), highlighted by six offensive boards by the Demon Deacons.
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After the Big Red scored the first trio of points of the second period, Hinds registered another second-chance bucket after her second offensive rebound to put Wake Forest up five (17-12).
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The Deacs responded with a 9-0 run, highlighted by a three pointer and coast-to-coast layup from Spear, to push Wake Forest's lead (26-15) to double digits for the first time of the contest with 1:18 left in the half.
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The run also included an Alyssa Andrews fastbreak layup and an Alexandria Scruggs jumper.
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Cornell added a pair of layups before Spear made her third three of the first half as the clock winded down to increase Wake Forest's lead to 29-19 at the intermission.
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Spear led the Deacs' offensive punch with 15 first half points. Overall, the Deacs continued to dominate the boards, out rebounding Cornell by seven and held Cornell to just 33.3% from the field in the first half.
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Cornell cut Wake Forest's lead to five (32-27) at the halfway point of the third period.
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Layups from Williams and Scruggs pushed the Demon Deacon lead back to nine (38-29) with one minute remaining in the third.
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Williams' bucket came after the Demon Deacons forced a 10-second violation.
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Wake Forest held a 13-point lead at the conclusion of the third quarter after Spear nailed another buzzer beater from deep.
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The Deacs outscored the Big Red 11-3 over the final five minutes of the quarter to register their largest lead of the contest.
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The Demon Deacons increased their lead to 18 (51-33) with an 8-0 in the opening minutes of the fourth.
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With just over four minutes remaining, Scruggs connected on a three-pointer to give Wake Forest a 21-point lead, 56-35.
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Mack Maier answered a Cornell three with a triple of her own, marking the Demon Deacons' final basket of the game as Wake Forest clinched the 64-39 victory.
STANDOUT STAT
Spear dropped a career-high 32 points on the night, becoming the first Demon Deacon to reach the 30-point mark since Dearica Hamby on Feb. 28, 2015.
The sophomore did so with seven made three-pointers, matching her career high for threes made (vs. North Carolina on March 4, 2021).
FROM HOOVER
"The first game in front of the fans, back home, I still think we are trying to get through those jitters. We had some shots that I think, typically, we would make and do a better job with, but we didn't make them. Hopefully, we settle down on the offensive end. This is two games in a row where we have come out and made it a little harder than it needs to be. We have had to rely on our defense, which is a great thing, but I'm looking forward to the days where the offense starts flowing."
NEXT UP
Wake Forest returns to the hardwood on Sunday, Nov. 14 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum at 1:00 p.m. versus UNC Greensboro.
The non-conference contest will be available on ACC Network Extra.
