Wake Forest University
13-12,3-11ACC
Virginia
3-19,0-12ACC
Deacs Run Past Cavaliers in Sunday Showing
2/13/2022 6:27:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Four Wake Forest players again finished with 10 points or more as the Deacs won their third consecutive game against the Cavaliers.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The Wake Forest women's basketball team captured their 10th home victory of the season Sunday afternoon at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, defeating Virginia 68-53.
This is the third consecutive win for the Demon Deacons (13-12, 3-11 ACC) against the Cavaliers (3-20, 0-13 ACC). Additionally, this is the second-straight win over Virginia at home. The first time both of those streaks have happened in series history.
Sophomore guard Jewel Spear led the way offensively for Wake Forest, totaling a game-high 17 points. Three fellow Deacs joined her in double-digit scoring: junior forward Olivia Summiel with 14 points, junior forward Niyah Becker with 11 points and junior guard Alexandria Scruggs with 10 points. Becker also pulled down a team-best seven rebounds.
This marks the third consecutive game Wake Forest had four or more players finish in double figures.
Reserve freshman guard Elise Williams finished with an impressive line of eight points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block.
As a team, Wake Forest shot 45 percent from the field, while tallying 18 bench points compared to Virginia's six.
HOW IT HAPPENED
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Senior forward Christina Morra got the Demon Deacons going on offense, taking the entry pass before quickly turning and hitting a right-hand layup on the first Wake Forest possession.
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The Deacs continued to work through the low block, as junior forward Olivia Summiel netted the team's next four points.
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This included a jumper from the right baseline to push the Wake Forest lead to 6-2 at the 7:17 mark of the first quarter.
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The aggressive offense helped the Deacs work inside-out, as a pair of threes came from Summiel and sophomore guard Jewel Spear, with the latter making it a 12-6 lead for Wake Forest with 3:47 left in the first.
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In the first four minutes, Summiel had seven points, three rebounds, a block and an assist to lead the way for the Deacs.
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At the TV timeout, with 1:43 left in the first, Wake Forest was shooting 63.6 percent from the field and 3-of-4 from behind the arc.
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By the end of the first, Wake Forest held a 21-12 advantage.
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Spear was a perfect 3-of-3 from the floor, scoring eight points.
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The Deacs held a 10-7 rebounding advantage with Summiel leading the way with three.
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Wake Forest also had six assists on eight made baskets with junior Niyah Becker having a pair.
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Junior guard Alexandria Scruggs provided a spark for the Demon Deacons off the bench, knocking down a pair of mid-range jumpers.
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Her second from the right elbow made it a 27-19 Wake Forest lead with 5:41 left in the second quarter.
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For the fourth time in the last six games, Summiel was in double-figure points, getting to 10 points midway through the second quarter.
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Spear joined her moments later when a jumper with 2:51 left in the half pushed the Deacs advantage to 34-25.
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A basket from freshman guard Elise Williams extended Wake Forest's lead to 11 points, its largest of the game to that point. With 2:02 left in the first half, Wake Forest was in front 36-25.
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The Deacs took a 36-29 lead into the halftime interval.
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Wake Forest shot 50 percent from the field assisting on 12 of 15 made shots.
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Williams had four assists to lead the team while Becker and Spear each had a pair of assists.
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Summiel and Spear each were in double figures scoring contributing all four of the Wake Forest triples.
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Virginia continued to cut into the Wake Forest lead at the beginning of the third quarter. A pair of baskets from the Cavaliers made it a 36-33 game with 8:38 left in the third quarter.
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The Cavaliers took their first lead of the game in the third quarter at 38-36 at the 5:34 minute mark.
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Morra got the Deacs on the board for the first time in the third quarter when her pair of free throws tied the game at 38-38 with 5:03 left in the third.
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She put the Deacs back in front on the next possession with a jumper from the paint.
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The game remained a one-possession game with the Deacs jumping back in front when Spear knocked down three free throws with less than a minute left in the quarter.
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Scruggs followed that up the next possession, getting out on the fast break and finishing a right-hand layup to make it a 48-45 advantage.
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The Demon Deacons held that 48-45 lead heading into the final 10 minutes of the game.
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Spear led all scorers in the game at that point with 13 for the game.
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Scruggs poured in the first points of the final period, getting to point-blank range for a layup.
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A pick-and-pop from Summiel at the 7:27 mark of the fourth raised the Wake Forest lead to eight points, 54-46.
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Wake Forest pushed the lead back to double digits minutes later, as Spear pressed the Cavaliers on the break before hitting a left wing jumper.
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The shot forced a Virginia timeout with 5:52 to go.
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It was the largest lead of the second half.
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The Demon Deacons were able to salt the game away at the free throw line with a pair from Spear raising her game total to 17 points with 1:58 left.
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Wake Forest finished the afternoon victorious, 68-53.
STANDOUT STAT
The Demon Deacons' third consecutive victory over Virginia marks the longest streak in series history, and it is also the first time in series history that Wake Forest has won back-to-back home games against the Cavaliers.
The Deacs' last win over Virginia came on Jan. 16, 2020, as the two sides did not play each other last season after the Cavaliers opted out of the season.
FROM HOOVER
"It feels great to get back to our winning ways. It is never easy to win in this league and I am proud of the way the team played today. We absorbed their run that they made in the third quarter and were able to finish this game the right way in the fourth. Again, I am proud of how we continue to have double figure scorers step up and it makes us a lot harder to defend when multiple players are scoring the basketball. We did a fantastic job sharing the ball and making the extra pass to get good looks today with 17 assists on 23 made baskets. We will use this as momentum heading into this week and continue to try and build on this."
NEXT UP
Wake Forest makes the midweek trip to the Triangle, as the Demon Deacons are set to face No. 5 NC State for the first time this season. Thursday's tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum.
The game will also air on Regional Sports Networks.
