Sunday, February 4
Winston-Salem, N.C.
2:00 p.m.
Wake Forest University
4-18,0-10ACC
55
vs
58
Georgia Tech
14-9,5-6ACC
1
2
3
4
F
Georgia Tech
13
14
11
20
58
Wake Forest
9
13
14
19
55
Late Comeback Falls Short, Wake Forest Falls to Georgia Tech
2/4/2024 4:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Elise Williams recorded the first 20-point double-double for the Deacs in nearly two years.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Despite a 23-point, 11-rebound performance from Elise Williams, the Wake Forest women's basketball team fell to Georgia Tech, 58-55, inside Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum Sunday afternoon.
The Demon Deacons (4-18, 0-10 ACC) held the Yellow Jackets (14-9, 5-6 ACC) to just 11 points in the third quarter and closed out the frame on an 8-0 run. Early in the fourth quarter, the Deacs took the lead for the first time in the game after trailing by double digits with five minutes to go in the third.
Defensively, Wake Forest held Georgia Tech to just one made three-pointer on 13 attempts (7.7 percent). It tied for the Yellowjackets' fewest in a game this season and fewest since Jan. 4 against Virginia. Additionally, the Deacs forced 13 turnovers. Of note, the Demon Deacons have forced double-digit turnovers in 32 of the last 33 games, dating back to January of 2022.
Individually, the Deacs were led by Williams, whose 23 points and 11 rebounds marked the first 20/10 game by a Wake Forest player since Christina Morra Feb. 24, 2022 against Syracsue. It also marked her second 20-point performance of the season with her first coming in the 29-point outing against Virginia Tech on Jan. 4.
The junior guard netted 13 of the 19 Wake Forest points in the fourth, going 5-of-6 from the field, including 3-of-3 from beyond-the-arc.
Graduate guard Kaia Harrison added nine points, five rebounds and two assists with zero turnovers. Seven of her nine points came in the first quarter on 3-of-3 shooting, including a three-point play.
Junior Alyssa Andrews hauled in eight rebounds and finished with a team-high plus/minus of plus-12 in 27 minutes of action. Fellow junior Raegyn Conley had her sixth muli-three game of the year, hitting 2-of-4 threes Sunday. Over the course of the season, she leads the team with a 36.6 percentage from behind the arc.
How It Happened
"Today was a big step and we grew up. We were locked in for 40 minutes and really executed the scout well. We were down as much as 11 and found a way to come back. Elise played really well with 23 points and 11 rebounds and also she stepped up as a vocal leader. The bench played their part as well supporting everyone on the floor and kept the energy up. We got some key stops there to almost get us the win. Down the stretch we had some turnovers which we can clean up. Credit to the five that stepped up and played really well even though they played a lot of minutes. We executed and it took a lot of energy to come back from down double digits. Just a couple key moments at the end where we couldn't quite get a hold of the game to take this one. Again, this was a huge growth step but we need to keep building on this to continue to take the next step. This is maybe the hardest step: to find that last little bit to start getting wins. I am proud of everyone and I am excited to get back in the gym to focus on the next opportunity." - Megan Gebbia
Next Up
The Demon Deacons are scheduled for their first Big-4 matchup of the season Thursday afternoon when the Deacs hit the road against Duke.
The 7:00 p.m. tipoff against the Blue Devils will also air on ACC Network Extra.
The Demon Deacons (4-18, 0-10 ACC) held the Yellow Jackets (14-9, 5-6 ACC) to just 11 points in the third quarter and closed out the frame on an 8-0 run. Early in the fourth quarter, the Deacs took the lead for the first time in the game after trailing by double digits with five minutes to go in the third.
Defensively, Wake Forest held Georgia Tech to just one made three-pointer on 13 attempts (7.7 percent). It tied for the Yellowjackets' fewest in a game this season and fewest since Jan. 4 against Virginia. Additionally, the Deacs forced 13 turnovers. Of note, the Demon Deacons have forced double-digit turnovers in 32 of the last 33 games, dating back to January of 2022.
Individually, the Deacs were led by Williams, whose 23 points and 11 rebounds marked the first 20/10 game by a Wake Forest player since Christina Morra Feb. 24, 2022 against Syracsue. It also marked her second 20-point performance of the season with her first coming in the 29-point outing against Virginia Tech on Jan. 4.
The junior guard netted 13 of the 19 Wake Forest points in the fourth, going 5-of-6 from the field, including 3-of-3 from beyond-the-arc.
Graduate guard Kaia Harrison added nine points, five rebounds and two assists with zero turnovers. Seven of her nine points came in the first quarter on 3-of-3 shooting, including a three-point play.
Junior Alyssa Andrews hauled in eight rebounds and finished with a team-high plus/minus of plus-12 in 27 minutes of action. Fellow junior Raegyn Conley had her sixth muli-three game of the year, hitting 2-of-4 threes Sunday. Over the course of the season, she leads the team with a 36.6 percentage from behind the arc.
How It Happened
- Harrison ended a 7-0 Georgia Tech run to open the contest with a pull-up jumper at the 5:13 mark.
- The graduate guard came back on the following possession with an and-one layup to cut the deficit to two.
- Williams tallied her first points of the contest with a pull-up jumper with 3:10 remaining in the first quarter.
- With 36 seconds left, Harrison closed out the first-quarter scoring with a layup as she finished the frame with a team-high seven points on 3-of-3 shooting.
- The Demon Deacons trailed, 9-13 heading into the second quarter.
- At the 8:44 mark, Cowles grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back up for her first points of the game.
- A driving layup from Williams and a pair of free throws from Theuerkauf made it 19-15 Georgia Tech with 6:10 to go in the first half.
- Jumpers from Cowles and Conley on back-to-back possessions kept the Deacs within four with under four minutes to go in the second quarter.
- A free throw from Williams and another second-chance layup from Cowles closed out the scoring in the first half, as Wake Forest went into the locker room down, 22-27.
- After a 6-0 Georgia Tech run to open the second half, Williams converted an and-one opportunity at the 5:49 mark.
- Harrison made it 27-36 with a jumper on the following possession.
- Conely and Andrews connected on consecutive three-pointers and cut the deficit to four with 1:25 remaining in the third quarter.
- Williams extended the run to 8-0 on the next possession with a driving layup.
- Wake Forest went into the fourth quarter down two (38-36) after trailing by 11 at the 5:34 mark in the third quarter.
- After a quick Georgia Tech bucket to open the fourth quarter, Williams knocked down a corner three to make it a one point game with 8:47 remaining.
- On the next possession, Deeble tied the contest, 40-40, with a free throw.
- Wake Forest took its first lead of the afternoon with 7:08 remaining, as Williams finished a driving layup to make it 42-40.
- Georgia Tech took the lead back with a pair of free throws followed by a three-point play, but Williams ended the run with a pull-up jumper and made it 44-45 with five minutes to go.
- The Yellow Jackets extended their lead with a 7-0 run ( 52-44) at the 2:01 mark.
- Scruggs ended the run with a layup after a nice pass from Williams found her in the paint with 1:47 remaining.
- With a minute to go, Conley made it a five-point game as she knocked down her second triple of the afternoon.
- Wake Forest quickly got the ball back after a trap forced a Georgia Tech travel, but was unable to cut the deficit.
- The Yellow Jackets extended their lead to seven with a pair of free throws.
- Williams connected on a deep three with 30 seconds left as the Deacs cut it to 52-56.
- After two Georgia Tech free throws, she knocked down another triple with one second remaining and closed out the scoring.
- The Deacs fell to the Yellow Jackets, 55-58.
- Elise Williams recorded her second double-double of the season leading the Deacs with 23 points and 11 rebounds along with three assists and one steal.
- She recorded her last double-double against Boston College (Jan. 18).
- It marked the first 20-point/10-rebound performance by a Wake Forest player since Feb. 24, 2022 against Syracuse.
- Additionally, it was the first 23-plus point and 11-plus rebound game by a Wake Forest player since Ivana Raca in a 83-73 win over North Carolina on March 4, 2020.
- The Yellow Jackets were held to one three-pointer, tied for their fewest in a contest this season and fewest since Jan. 4 against Virginia.
- Georgia Tech's 58 points are tied for its fourth fewest of the season and was the fewest points allowed in an ACC game this season, additionally the three-point margin was the smallest of ACC play.
"Today was a big step and we grew up. We were locked in for 40 minutes and really executed the scout well. We were down as much as 11 and found a way to come back. Elise played really well with 23 points and 11 rebounds and also she stepped up as a vocal leader. The bench played their part as well supporting everyone on the floor and kept the energy up. We got some key stops there to almost get us the win. Down the stretch we had some turnovers which we can clean up. Credit to the five that stepped up and played really well even though they played a lot of minutes. We executed and it took a lot of energy to come back from down double digits. Just a couple key moments at the end where we couldn't quite get a hold of the game to take this one. Again, this was a huge growth step but we need to keep building on this to continue to take the next step. This is maybe the hardest step: to find that last little bit to start getting wins. I am proud of everyone and I am excited to get back in the gym to focus on the next opportunity." - Megan Gebbia
Next Up
The Demon Deacons are scheduled for their first Big-4 matchup of the season Thursday afternoon when the Deacs hit the road against Duke.
The 7:00 p.m. tipoff against the Blue Devils will also air on ACC Network Extra.
Team Stats
GaTech
WF
FG%
.429
.396
3FG%
.077
.400
FT%
.643
.700
RB
30
36
TO
13
20
STL
4
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
23
FGM
9
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Women's BasketballGuard
/ Women's BasketballGuard
/ Women's BasketballGuard
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