Wake Forest University
Virginia
Deacs Set to Take on Virginia in ACC Tournament First Round
2/28/2022 1:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball
This marks the second time in a little over two weeks the Deacs will face the Cavaliers after defeating them on Sunday, Feb. 13 at LJVM Coliseum.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Postseason play is here and the Wake Forest women's basketball team is set to tip off their run in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Wednesday against Virginia at Greensboro Coliseum.
The Deacs (14-15, 4-12 ACC) will look to continue their recent success in the ACC Tournament, advancing to the quarterfinal round in each of the last two tournaments. Last year, sophomore guard Jewel Spear burst onto the tournament scene with a tournament record-tying seven three-pointers in the first round victory over North Carolina, ending the game with a then-career-high 29 points.
The Cavaliers (5-21, 2-16 ACC) have captured two conference victories since last playing against the Demon Deacons. Virginia defeated Duke and Pitt in back-to-back games to rise into the No. 14 spot in the conference standings. They fell on Thursday in their regular season finale to North Carolina, 68-57. In Virginia's most recent victory over Pitt, guard Taylor Valladay went for 30 points while also dishing out seven assists.
Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. (ET) at Greensboro Coliseum. For those not at the arena, fans can tune in on Regional Sports Networks.
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, which is set for noon (ET) on Sunday, March 6.
Purchase your tickets today and come cheer on the Deacs in Greensboro.
LEADING SCORERS IN THE ACC
Sophomore Jewel Spear heads into the ACC Tournament as the leading scorer in the conference by nearly a point. She is looking to become the first sophomore leading scorer in the conference since Alyssa Thomas did it a decade ago at Maryland in 2011-12.
Additionally, it would be just the third time in the last 20 seasons as the only other sophomore to lead the conference in scoring during that time was Alana Beard for Duke in 2001-02.
Each of those seasons, the men's leading scorer came from the same school. This could be just the fifth time in ACC history that players from the same school have led the ACC in scoring on both the men's and women's sides in the same season. It would be the first time in 10 years and third in the last 20 years:
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2021-22 - Wake Forest (Jewel Spear and Alondes Williams)
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2011-12 - Maryland (Alyssa Thomas and Terrell Stoglin)
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2001-02 - Duke (Jay Williams and Alana Beard)
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1997-98 - UNC (Antwan Jameson and Tracy Reid)
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1990-91 - NC State (Andrea Stinson and Rodney Monroe)
LAST TIME
Wake Forest vs. Georgia Tech (Feb. 27)
Result: L, 64-56
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The Yellowjackets were held to only two makes from beyond the arc, posting a 14.0 percentage in their three-point shooting (2-of-14). The Deacons got 18 points from its bench, compared to Georgia Tech's 11.
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Wake Forest saw four of its own tally double figures in scoring for the seventh consecutive contest: senior forward Christina Morra (14 points), junior forward Niyah Becker (13 points), sophomore guard Jewel Spear (11 points), and freshman guard Elise Williams (10 points).
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SERIES HISTORY
Versus Virginia
Series: Virginia leads 69-8
Last: Feb. 13, 2021
Result: W – 68-53
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This marked the third consecutive win for the Demon Deacons against the Cavaliers. Additionally, this is the second-straight win over Virginia at home. The first time both of those streaks have happened in series history.
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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.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
For the seventh consecutive game, Wake Forest had four or more players finish in double figures. Those seven games were the only ones this conference season that Wake Forest has had four or more double-figure scorers in a game.
Over that stretch, three Demon Deacons were averaging double-figure points in Jewel Spear (16.3 PPG), Christina Morra (12.1 PPG) and Elise Williams (10.7 PPG).
STANDOUT STAT
Since stepping on campus, sophomore guard Jewel Spear has been one of the best shooters in program history. She goes into Wednesday night tied for sixth in program history with 142 career three-pointers in just 54 career games. This season Spear could finish as the single-season record holder, as she is trailing Cotelia Bond-Young (2004-05) by just 13 makes:
|
Rank |
Player |
Three-Point Makes |
|
1. |
Cotelia Bond-Young (04-05) |
97 |
|
2. |
Chelsea Douglas (13-14) |
86 |
|
3. |
Cotelia Bond-Young (05-06) |
85 |
|
4. |
Jewel Spear (21-22) |
84 |
UP NEXT
The winner of the game will face No. 6 seed Georgia Tech (20-9, 11-7 ACC) at 8 p.m. on Thursday in Greensboro Coliseum.
The game will also be broadcasted on Regional Sports Networks.
