Wake Forest University
7-1,0-0ACC
Nebraska
8-0,0-0Big Ten
Wake Forest Drop to 7-1 with Loss to Nebraska
12/1/2021 9:56:00 PM | Women's Basketball
This was just the fifth Demon Deacon team to start 7-0 or better and the first since 2008-09.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The Wake Forest women's basketball team dropped its first game of the season on Wednesday night with a 86-60 loss to Nebraska at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The Demon Deacons (7-1) were led by Jewel Spear with 17 points, marking the 13th consecutive game that the sophomore had double-digits points.
Despite the loss, this was one of the best starts in school history as the Deacs became just the fifth team in school history to start 7-0 or better and this marked the best start in the Jen Hoover era.
Wake Forest shared the scoring load with three Demon Deacons finishing the night in double figures. Elsie Williams picked up her third double-digit performance of the season with 10 points and Olivia Summiel finished with a career-best 12, her first of the season.
In the loss to Nebraska (8-0), Summiel also helped shoulder the rebounding load for the Demon Deacons as she was one of three Deacs to post six or more boards on Wednesday night. Freshman Alyssa Andrews continued to impress early in the season, posting a season-best eight rebounds doubling her previous high from Cornell.
Niyah Becker also pulled down seven boards in the losing effort.
Williams and Spear tied for the team high in assists with four each.
HOW IT HAPPENED
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Nebraska jumped out to an 11-5 lead after two minutes, shooting 3-for-3 from the three point line.
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In the first quarter, the Demon Deacons outrebounded the Cornhuskers, 12-8 but found themselves trailing by four, 19-15.
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Olivia Summial and Jewel Spear combined for 10 of the Deacs 15 points.
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Midway through the contest Spear (7), Summial (7) and Christina Morra (5) led the team in points.
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The Deacs entered the locker room trailing Nebraska, 43-30.
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Wake Forest held three of the Cornhusker starters scoreless in the opening 20 minutes of action.
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Summiel and Becker led the Deacs on the glass in the first two quarters of play, both pulling down five rebounds each.
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Elsie Williams added a team-best three assists to her four-point scoring line in the first 20 minutes.
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Wake Forest also made the most of their eight attempts at the charity stripe, connecting on seven.
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Williams entered double figures in the third quarter with 10 points, making her the first Deac to hit double figures.
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Spears became the second Demon Deacon in double figures in the third quarter.
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This marked the 13th consecutive game that the sophomore had double-digit points.
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In the fourth quarter, Summiel earned her first double-digit performance of her career with 12 points, making it a career-high for the junior.
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Freshman Alyssa Andrews doubled her season-best in rebounds with eight boards, doubling her previous best of four against Cornell.
STANDOUT STAT
The Demon Deacons (7-1) were led by Jewel Spear with 17 points, marking the 13th consecutive game that the sophomore had double-digits points.
FROM HOOVER
"Credit to Nebraska. They are a really good offensive team. They played Big Ten basketball and I don't think we responded very well to that. When you get 16 offensive rebounds and only score six points off of those, that is a problem. We took good care of the ball tonight which I was proud of. The good thing about the game of basketball is that you always get another quick opportunity to bounce back and that is what we have Saturday against a really good Troy team that won their conference last season." - Coach Jen Hoover
NEXT UP
Wake Forest continues its five-game homestand against Troy on Saturday night at 3 p.m.
Grab your spot at LJVM Coliseum at GoDeacs.com/Tickets.
If you are not in attendance on Saturday, you can see the game on ACC Network Extra and WatchESPN/ESPN App.
