Deacs Drop Defensive Battle to Georgetown

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite forcing 15 turnovers defensively, the Wake Forest women's basketball team dropped a 60-44 decision to Georgetown Sunday evening at McDonough Arena in Washington, D.C.

The Demon Deacons (3-8) were within one with 5:00 minutes left in the game, but shots did not fall at the end, allowing the Hoyas (9-1) to finish the game on a 15-0 scoring run.

The Deacs were led by their senior leaders in Alexandria Scruggs and Kaia Harrison who both finished in double-figure scoring. Scruggs tallied double-digit points for the second-consecutive game and the third time in the last five games, ending the afternoon with a team-high 13 points including going 2-of-3 from behind the arc.
Harrison posted 10 points, her third consecutive double-figure game and her seventh in 11 games overall this season. For the sixth time this season, she went perfect at the free throw line, knocking down 4-of-4 from the stripe. Overall this season, Harrison is 44-of-50 (88.0 pct.). The Baldwin, N.Y native also had a team-high four steals.

The Deacs had 11 steals overall which was the fourth time this season they have forced double-digit steals and the first time since the win over Saint Louis in Hawaii.
Wake Forest also crashed the glass at the 14 offensive rebounds. Elise Williams posted a team-high seven rebounds including four offensive rebounds while also having a team-high five assists.

The Demon Deacons recorded 11 assists on 15 made baskets (73.3 percent) against the Hoyas. It marked the seventh-consecutive game in which the Deacs recorded at least 10 assists and ninth time overall.

The Deacs have notched an assist on 59.2 percent (135-of-228) of their made baskets this season.

An exciting season awaits at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum for the Wake Forest women's basketball team! There is no better time than now to become a season ticket holder and support your Demon Deacons at home this season.

Along with your purchase of a $60 season ticket package this season there are many added benefits exclusive only to those who buy season tickets.

How It Happened

Georgetown opened the scoring just over one minute into the contest on a hookshot from Graceann Bennett.
The Demon Deacons responded with five unanswered behind a triple from Alexandria Scruggs and a layup from Malaya Cowles.
Georgetown went on a 5-0 spurt of its own to close the opening frame.
- Defensively, the Deacs held the Hoyas to just 33.3 percent shooting from the field in the first quarter.
After a Scruggs field goal opened the second period, Georgetown scored 13 straight to take a 22-10 lead.
- Elise Williams snapped Wake Forest's scoring drought, knocking down a pair of free throws.
- Cowles then made a layup to narrow the Demon Deacons' deficit to eight with just over four minutes left in the quarter.
The two teams exchanged field goals for the remainder of the half as Georgetown held a 27-21 advantage at the halftime break.
- The Demon Deacons outrebounded the Hoyas 18-14 in the first half.
- Individually, the Deacs were led by Scruggs, as she notched a game-high eight points.
Wake Forest went on a 7-3 run to open the third quarter, forcing a Georgetown timeout.
- Scruggs was responsible for five of the Demon Deacons' seven points.
Both sides made several free throws over the ensuing three minutes.
Georgetown owned a 35-32 lead with 2:32 minutes remaining in the third period.
The Hoyas increased their advantage to five (39-34) entering the final 10 minutes of action.
- Kaia Harrison registered a team-high six points on 2-of-4 shooting from the floor in the third quarter.
The Demon Deacons scored five unanswered to start the final period as Cowles and Rylie Theuerkauf made a layup and a three-pointer, respectively, evening the ledger (39-39).
The two teams traded baskets until the under-five media timeout as the Hoyas held a 45-44 lead.
Georgetown closed the contest on a 15-0 run and went on to earn the 60-44 victory.

Standout Stats

The Demon Deacons recorded 11 assists on 15 made baskets (73.3 percent) against the Hoyas.
- It marked the seventh-consecutive game in which the Deacs recorded at least 10 assists and ninth time overall.
- The Deacs have notched an assist on 59.2 percent of their made baskets this season.
With 15 forced turnovers against the Hoyas, the Deacs have forced double-digit turnovers in every game this season and have turned over opponents 172 times in 11 games.

The average of 15.6 turnovers forced per game is an increase from last year's 14.4 turnovers forced per game.

From Gebbia
"The final score is not indicative of how the game went at all. We have to learn from this. We were up one at the media timeout at the middle of the fourth quarter. It's the last five minutes that got us again tonight and we missed some key layups down the stretch. We were even in pretty much every category. The difference is they made more shots than us. The freshmen came in the game and hit big shots for us in crucial moments. We are right there with an 8-1 team on the road. It takes time and we clicked for 35 minutes. They went on a 15-0 to finish and we have to get over that hump. We forced turnovers throughout much of the game inside. We had 14 offensive rebounds which is great but we can't shoot the way we did and think we are going to win. We brought some grit and dove on the floor. They were physical but we didn't back down from the challenge and I thought that physicality actually fueled us today. We played hard and I am proud of the effort. We responded being down early and we have to keep fighting. There will be wins on the other side if we continue to keep pushing and use the positives out of this one." - Megan Gebbia

Next Up
The Demon Deacons return home for a Thursday matinee contest at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum against Marshall as a part of a doubleheader with men's basketball.

The Noon tipoff can also be seen on ACC Network Extra.

Claim Your Spot for the 2023-24 Season
Claim your spot in Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum for what is shaping up to be another exciting season for Megan Gebbia's second season with the Demon Deacons! Season tickets for 2023-24 Wake Forest women's basketball season tickets are now open at GoDeacs.com/tickets with tickets starting at $60.

Along with your purchase of a women's basketball season ticket package this season there are many added benefits exclusive only to those who buy season tickets. Admission to all home games for this price Additional perks include:

A lunch opportunity with the Wake Forest women's basketball team
Only season ticket holders can sit in floor level seats
Access to The Blue Ridge Room for free light refreshments and snacks before and during each home game
"Season Ticket Holder of the Game"
A season ticket holder will be recognized at each game
They will be brought onto the floor during a quarter break or timeout to be recognized
They will be presented with a signed picture of the team
They will also have video board graphics made for them as well

Go to GoDeacs.com/Tickets or call the ticket office at 336-758-3322 for more information.

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Team Stats

Alexandria Scruggs

Kaia Harrison

Malaya Cowles

Rylie Theuerkauf

Players Mentioned

Malaya Cowles

Kaia Harrison

Alexandria Scruggs

Rylie Theuerkauf

Elise Williams

Wake Forest Athletics