Wake Forest University
Louisville
Wake Forest Advances to Take on Top-Seeded Louisville
3/4/2021 6:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball
This marks the second consecutive season Wake Forest advanced to the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament and will face ACC Regular Season Champions in Louisville.
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Wake Forest women's basketball is set to take on No. 5 ranked Louisville, the top-overall seed in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, Friday afternoon in Greensboro, N.C.
For the second consecutive season, the Demon Deacons (12-11) opened up ACC Tournament play with a victory over in-state rival North Carolina. Wake Forest was led by a pair of double-double performances and a career-best 29-point performance from freshman guard Jewel Spear.
Additionally with a win, this would mark the first time the Demon Deacons would advance to the ACC Tournament Semifinals since the 2012 season. It would be the fourth time overall in program history.
The Cardinals (21-2) come into the ACC Tournament as the four-time reigning ACC Regular Season Champions. Last season, the Cardinals were eliminated in the semifinal round of the tournament by Florida State. This will be Louisville's first game in the tournament after receiving a double bye to the quarterfinals.
Additionally, the Cardinals have the two-time reigning ACC Player of the Year in senior guard Dana Evans. She finished the regular season averaging a league best 21.0 points per game, having a 93.8 percentage at the free throw line, the best mark in the ACC for both the men and women.
Tipoff for Friday's game against Louisville is scheduled for Noon (ET) in the Greensboro Coliseum. The game will air on RSN.
Fans can follow along via the Demon Deacons Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts (@WakeWBB).
ACC TOURNAMENT IN GREENSBORO
Postseason play is here. Come make the short drive over to Greensboro for the annual ACC Tournament and support your Wake Forest women's basketball team.
Hosted at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, the tournament will run through the championship game set for noon (ET) on Sunday, March 7.
Purchase your tickets today and come cheer on the Deacs in Greensboro.
ALL-TIME WINS LEADER
With the victory over North Carolina, Head Coach Jen Hoover became the all-time wins leader in Wake Forest program history.
Additionally, this marks the second consecutive season the Demon Deacons have advanced to the ACC Tournament Quarterfinal. It is the first time since 2013 Wake Forest has reached the quarterfinals in back-to-back seasons.
|
Coach |
Wake Forest Wins |
|
Jen Hoover (2013-Pres.) |
126 |
|
Mike Petersen (2005-12) |
125 |
|
Joe Sanchez (1986-92) |
109 |
LAST TIME
Wake Forest vs North Carolina (March 4)
Result: W, 82-71
- With the help of a pair of double-doubles and a tournament record, The Wake Forest women's basketball team moved past North Carolina, 82-71, Thursday afternoon in the Atlantic Coast Conference Second Round.
- Freshman guard Jewel Spear helped elevate the Demon Deacons with a career and ACC Tournament performance. The Colony, Texas native knocked down 7-of-10 three pointers and scored a season-high 29 points, the most points by a freshman in the Jen Hoover era. Her seven threes tied an ACC Tournament record.
SERIES HISTORY
Versus Louisville
Series: Louisville leads 0-7
Last: Jan. 24, 2021
Result: L, 65-63
- The Deacs held the Cardinals to a season-low 65 points and just 23-of-58 from the field. Louisville entered the game averaging 84.4 points per game on 49-percent shooting.
- Raca continued to produce stellar performances at home, recording her fourth double-double at home on the season as the Belgrade, Serbia native scored 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
STANDOUT STAT
With seven three pointers made in the second round win against North Carolina on Thursday, freshman guard Jewel Spear tied the ACC Tournament record and it was the most since 2018. It is the most by any player in the ACC Tournament Second Round in the tournament's history:
|
Player |
Team |
Threes Made |
|
Jewel Spear (2021) |
Wake Forest |
7 |
|
Taylor Ortlepp (2018) |
Boston College |
7 |
|
Brittany Roundtree (2012) |
North Carolina |
7 |
|
Mickel Picco (2008) |
Boston College |
7 |
|
Nikki Teasley (2000) |
North Carolina |
7 |
|
Janae Whiteside (1999) |
Wake Forest |
7 |
DOUBLE-DOUBLE IVANA
After recording a double-double with 21 points and a game-high 12 rebounds on Thursday afternoon, senior forward Ivana Raca has now recorded nine double-doubles this season and has 17 double-double performances in her career. That career mark, ranking sixth in program history:
|
Team |
Date |
Points |
Rebounds |
|
North Carolina |
Dec. 10 |
14 pts |
12 reb |
|
Miami |
Jan. 7 |
22 pts |
14 reb |
|
Boston College |
Jan. 10 |
16 pts |
11 reb |
|
at Virginia Tech |
Jan. 17 |
17 pts |
19 reb |
|
Louisville |
Jan. 24 |
12 pts |
13 reb |
|
at Syracuse |
Feb. 4 |
16 pts |
12 reb |
|
at Georgia Tech |
Feb. 7 |
11 pts |
12 reb |
|
Pitt |
Feb. 11 |
14 pts |
11 reb |
|
vs. North Carolina |
March 4 |
21 pts |
12 reb |
MAY I ASSIST YOU
In the Demon Deacons first game in the tournament on Thursday afternoon, Gina Conti dropped a career-best 12 assists in the win over North Carolina, boosting her career total to 480 during her four years in Winston-Salem. Her assist total against the Tar Heels is tied for the third highest mark in program history.
She goes into the game needing just 34 more assists to break the Wake Forest school record for career assists:
1. Brooke Thomas (513; 2008-12)
2. Nicole Levesque (488; 1991-94)
3. Gina Conti (480; 2017-21)
4. Cotelia Bond-Young (462; 2003-06)
5. Gretchen Hollifield (453; 1993-96)
NEXT UP
The winner of the quarterfinal game will go on to play No. 4-seed Florida State and No. 5-seed Syracuse on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff for the semifinal is scheduled for 12 a.m. in Greensboro Coliseum.
Purchase your tickets today and come cheer on the Deacs in Greensboro.
