Wake Forest University
12-5,2-4ACC
Notre Dame
12-3,3-1ACC
Summiel Records First Career Double-Double in Loss
1/13/2022 9:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Demon Deacons battled to the final whistle against No. 20 Notre Dame, falling 74-64 Thursday night at LJVM Coliseum.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- For the first time this season, the Wake Forest women's basketball team dropped a Thursday ACC contest, falling to No. 20 Notre Dame 74-64 at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The Demon Deacons (12-5, 2-4 ACC) came in with a perfect 2-0 record in midweek conference games with victories against Florida State on Dec. 30 and at Miami a week ago on Jan. 7.
In the loss to the Fighting Irish (12-3, 3-1 ACC), Wake Forest was led by another double-figure scoring output from sophomore guard Jewel Spear, who came into the contest as the conference leader with 19.8 points per game.
Additionally, The Colony, Texas native crossed over the 600-point barrier on Thursday night, accomplishing the feat in just 42 career games for the Demon Deacons.
For the sixth time this season and the fourth time in the last five games, junior forward Olivia Summiel led the Deacs in rebounding. Summiel totaled 11 rebounds in the loss. She finished the night with a double-double, the first of her career, adding 12 points to her statline while also having a pair of assists.
This marks the fourth time this season Summiel has had double-figure boards in a game.
Wake Forest also did an impressive job guarding Midseason Wooden Award Watch List member Maddy Westbeld to just six points in the game. Westbeld came into the game as the Fighting Irish leading scorer with 13.8 points per game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
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Elise Williams connected on a jumper to give the Deacs their first points of the contest.
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Kaia Harrison netted the first Wake Forest three-pointer of the game with 2:57 left in the first quarter. Harrison's triple ended the 13-0 Irish run (16-5).
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Jewel Spear hit the Deacons second three pointer on the following possession to trim the Irish lead to eight (16-8).
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Malaya Cowles checked in with 1:44 left in the first quarter and contributed four quick points, trimming Notre Dames' lead to five (17-12).
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Wake Forest trailed the Irish 20-12 heading into the second quarter.
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Seven of Wake Forests' 12 points came from the bench during the first quarter.
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Jewel Spear scored the first points for the Deacs in the second quarter after hitting a jumper with 6:45 left in the half to bring Wake Forest to within 10 (24-14).
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Olivia Summiel, Niyah Becker and Harrison chipped in buckets in the final few minutes of the half for the Deacs.
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Wake Forest trailed 37-22 at halftime.
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Harrison and Spear led Wake Forest with five points each at the break.
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14 Deacon points came from the bench in the first half.
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Summiel tallied the first Deacon points of the second half after connecting on a mid-range jumper with 6:31 left in the third quarter (45-24).
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Spear hit her second three-pointer of the game on the following possession.
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A 5-0 run by the Deacs made it 45-27 with 5:46 remaining in the third quarter.
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Summiel, Spear and Cowles each netted a bucket in the final few minutes of the third quarter.
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Wake Forest entered the final period trailing 58-34.
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An 8-0 run by Wake Forest led to a Notre Dame timeout with 7:32 left in the game.
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Williams scored four points on two layups during the run.
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Becker added a bucket and Scruggs connected on a pair of free throws.
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Jewel Spear hit her fourth and fifth three-pointer midway through the fourth quarter to make it 69-50.
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Spear finished with a game-high six three pointers.
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The Deacs finished the final four minutes outscoring the Irish 17-8 to make it 74-64.
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Spear, Summiel and Scruggs each netted their own triple during the run.
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Summiel's triple cemented her first career double-double.
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Wake Forest finished the night shooting 44 percent and 40 percent from behind the arc.
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Spear finished the evening with 17 points to lead the Deacs while Summiel added 12 and Scruggs chipped in 10 off the bench.
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The Deacs bench contributed 23 points to Notre Dames' 19.
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STANDOUT STAT
Junior forward Olivia Summiel recorded her first career double-double performance, becoming the fifth Wake Forest player this season to tally their first collegiate double-double. She led the way with 11 rebounds, the fourth time this season she has finished with double-digit boards.
Additionally, her 12 points tied her career high she set earlier this season against Nebraska.
FROM HOOVER
"We need to be better in the details from the start of the game. Notre Dame played really well from the start and jumped out to the early lead. I am proud of the fight we showed at the end of the game and the way we battled in the fourth quarter. We will learn from this one and be better for it the rest of the season." - Head Coach Jen Hoover
NEXT UP
Wake Forest is back on the road for a Sunday afternoon battle at Pitt with tipoff scheduled for 2 p.m. ET from Petersen Events Center.
For those not in attendance on Sunday's game in Pittsburgh, the game will also air on ACC Network Extra.
