Sunday, March 3
Raleigh, NC
2:00 p.m.
Wake Forest University
at
NC State
Deacs Look to Continue Winning Ways on the Road Sunday
3/1/2024 7:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Wake Forest will look to claim its third-consecutive conference road win Sunday afternoon in the regular season finale at No. 12 NC State with the 2:00 p.m. tipoff airing on ACC Network Extra.
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Wake Forest women's basketball team will look to extend its winning road streak to three-straight games Sunday afternoon when the Demon Deacons play the final game of the regular season at No. 12 NC State in Reynolds Coliseum.
After going 2-0 last week with road wins at Pitt and Georgia Tech, the Demon Deacons (6-23, 2-15 ACC) will be looking to extend their ACC road winning streak to three games on Sunday. The last time that the Demon Deacons had an ACC road winning streak of three or more games came during the 2011-12 season when the Deacs defeated Boston College, NC State and Clemson from Feb. 5-Feb. 19, 2012. A third-consecutive road win would solidify Wake Forest as the No. 14 in the ACC Tournament which would have the Deacs tipoff Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The Deacs will be also in search of their third top-100 NET win of the season and second in the last three games after beating No. 69 Georgia Tech on Sunday afternoon. Wake Forest is looking for just their third ever win at NC State and the first since defeating a top-15 ranked Wolfpack team on Feb. 19, 2017. Wake Forest has navigated one of the most difficult schedules in the country, as the Deacs' average opponent NET now ranks eighth nationally and second in the ACC with only NC State having a more difficult schedule.
The nationally-ranked Wolfpack (24-5, 12-5 ACC) snapped a two-game slide with a ranked victory over No. 19 Syracuse Thursday night in Reynolds Gymnasium and with the win NC State clinched a top-4 seed and double-bye in the upcoming conference tournament. The Pack have been one of the best teams in the country at rebounding the basketball this season, ranking 11th nationally with 43.3 rebounds per game and fourth nationally with 31.4 defensive rebounds per game, leading the league in both categories. NC State has also played clean basketball as they lead the conference and rank fifth nationally with just 12.8 fouls per game.
Tipoff for Sunday is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (ET) at Reynolds Coliseum.
For those not at the arena, fans can tune in to ACC Network Extra for Sunday's game. A live stats feed can be found here for Sunday. You can also listen to the game on GoDeacs.com/Watch.
Fans can follow along via the Demon Deacons Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts (@WakeWBB).
WELCOME TO 1000
Junior guard Elise Williams made history Thursday night as she reached the 1,000-point mark for her career.
She went into the Clemson game with 983 career points, just 17 points away from becoming the 31st player in program history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. She finished the game with almost a new career-high, dropping 28 points on 8-of-16 shooting and 9-of-10 from the free throw line.
Williams will now look to move up the scoring list on Sunday afternoon as she is 12 points away from Barbara Buchanan (1980-84) in 30th and 26 points away former teammate Gina Conti (2017-21) in 29th:
MONTH OF FEBRUARY
The dynamic backcourt duo of Elise Williams and Kate Deeble have lit it up in the month of February and have been the key components of the Deacs peaking at the right time of the season.
Williams, who is averaging 12.8 points per game over the course of the entire season, has been on a blistering pace of the course of the nine games during February:
Deeble has been one of the hottest shooters in the conference lighting it up from behind the arc and from the field throughout the entire month:
ELISE'S HISTORIC PERFORMANCES
Junior guard Elise Williams recorded her third-career double-double as she notched 14 points and 10 rebounds in addition to seven assists against Boston College. It marked the first double-double by a Demon Deacon since Demeara Hinds against Morgan State last season on March 16, 2023.
Additionally, it was just the third 14-10-7 or better game in the Her Hoops Stats era (2009-10) by a Wake Forest player and first since Dearica Hamby against Pitt on March 5, 2014.
Against Georgia Tech, she followed that up with another historic night and her second double-double of the season. Williams led the Deacs with 23 points and 11 rebounds along with three assists and one steal.
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.
Williams led the team with 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals against Florida State Thursday. She became the fifth Demon Deacon in the HerHoopsStats era (2009-10) to record that statline (17 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals) and first since Gina Conti on Nov. 28, 2020. It also marked her 11th game this season with double-digit points and sixth time in ACC play.
In the most recent road game against Georgia Tech, Williams had a career-high 31-point outing, shooting a stellar 10-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. This marked the first 30-point game since Jewel Spear had 34 points in a win over Louisville on Jan. 26, 2023. Williams became just the 21st player in program history to score 30 or more points in a single game.
Thursday against Clemson, Williams notched her fifth 20-point game of the season, as the junior finished with a team-high 28 points in addition to a season-high five steals. It marked the first time in her career she recorded back-to-back 20-point games. She finished an impressive 9-of-10 from the free throw line which were both career highs.
Since the start of ACC play, Williams leads the team with 14.7 points per game while also averaging 4.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. In conference play, Williams has been one of the best all-around players in the conference, ranking fifth in steals (2.0 steals/game), sixth in free throw percentage (83.3 pct.), 12th in assists and 17th in scoring.
AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE
Redshirt freshman guard Kate Deeble finished a stellar 5-of-5 (100 percent) from beyond-the-arc and 7-of-9 from the floor in addition to an assist in the Deacs win over Pitt on Thursday. Her five threes are the most by a Demon Deacon this season and most since Feb. 19, 2023. Of note, she is the first Wake Forest player in the HerHoopsStats era (2009-10) to knock down at least five three-pointers without a miss.
Her 20 points were a career-high, becoming the third player this season (Elise Williams and Madisyn Jordan) to score 20 points in a single game.
Deeble has been a catalyst on the defensive end of the floor, recording a career-high five steals against North Carolina. It helped lead the Demon Deacons to 24 turnovers, which was the most turnovers in the Courtney Banghart era and the most since the 2018-19 season when North Carolina turned it over 27 times against Auburn on Dec. 20, 2018.
SHARPSHOOTERS
Last week, the Demon Deacons lit up the three-point line, shooting a scorching 43.6 percent on 17-of-39 shooting. The 43.6 percent from behind the arc ranked 25th nationally for the week and was second in the ACC. They followed that up by hitting seven more threes Thursday night, the 14th time the Deacs have had seven or more threes in a game and the third consecutive game they have done so.
The Deacs have now shot 40 percent or better from behind the arc in five of the last nine games including both games last week.
Overall, the 2023-24 Wake Forest team has knocked down 184 threes this season which ranks fifth in program history:
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Over the course of the season, the Demon Deacons have navigated one of the toughest schedules in the country as the Deacs currently sit at No. 8 in the Average Opponent NET Rank metric in the country and second in the ACC. This includes 10 games against NET top-50 teams and 22 teams in the NET top-100:
NCAA Average Opponent NET Rank
1. UConn
2. Stanford
3. NC State
4. Tennessee
5. UCLA
5. Maryland
5. Colorado
8. Wake Forest
8. Duke
8. USC
Additionally since the start of conference play, all but seven teams that Wake Forest has played were either ranked or receiving votes in the AP Poll.
The strong schedule has seen Wake Forest rise 28 spots overall in the NET rankings since the start of conference play.
COWLES GETS IT GOING
Malaya Cowles finished the night against Clemson with six points and a career-high 12 rebounds and two steals.
Additionally, she has shot a stellar 73-of-126 (57.9 percent) from the floor while inside LJVM Coliseum.
Alexandria Scruggs made her 146th appearance in a Wake Forest uniform Thursday, adding to her program-record that she set in the previous game against No. 13 Virginia Tech. Additionally against Boston College, Kaia Harrison solely moved into second place in the all-time games played list:
RK Name Years Games Played
1. Alexandria Scruggs 2019-Pres. 146
2. Kaia Harrison 2019-Pres. 142
3. Lakevia Boykin 2009-13 130
4. Brooke Thomas 2008-12 129
Dearica Hamby 2011-15 129
Milan Quinn 2013-17 129
Amber Campbell 2014-18 129
8. Secily Ray 2008-12 128
Sandra Garcia 2009-13 128
10. Chelsea Douglas 2010-14 126
Through 27 games she ranks second on the team with 4.5 rebounds per game, her highest average of her career by nearly 1.0 rebounds per game.
On Sunday, she finished the game with 10 points to go along with three assists, two rebounds and two blocks. This marked her eighth double figure game of the season with six coming during conference play.
Her 215 points this season are the most she has had in her career and her 7.4 points per game is the highest average of his career. She now has 894 points during her five seasons at Wake Forest.
ASSISTS ON MADE BASKETS
The Demon Deacons recorded 15 assists on 22 made baskets (68.2 percent) versus the Tigers.
This season, the Deacs have assisted 374 of 633 made field goals (59.1 percent). This matches the same percentage from last season and ranks in the 72nd percentile.
This was the 24th time this season that Wake Forest had 10 or more assists in a single game and the 22nd time in the last 25 games.
Last week, the Demon Deacons had 34 assists over the two wins which was the highest total and the 17.0 assists per game were the highest average in the conference.
Additionally, Wake Forest had a 1.48/1 assist/turnover ratio last week which ranked 35th nationally and second in the ACC. Alexandria Scruggs helped lead in the assist/turnover ratio as her 7/1 assist/turnover ratio led the ACC and ranked 11th nationally during this past week.
FORCING TURNOVERS
Defensively, the Demon Deacons forced double-digit turnovers for the 39th time in the last 40 games, with the lone game coming against Syracuse on Jan. 11. The 40-game stretch goes back to January of 2022. In total, the Deacs forced 15 turnovers against Clemson which resulted in 22 points off turnovers on the other end.
Over the last seven games, the Deacs are averaging 16.9 turnovers forced per game.
In total, the Deacs forced 24 turnovers against North Carolina. This was the most turnovers in the Courtney Banghart era and the most since the 2018-19 season when North Carolina turned it over 27 times against Auburn on Dec. 20, 2018. Additionally, Wake Forest forced All-ACC Deja Kelly into a career-high eight turnovers.
In total, the Deacs forced 18 turnovers against Duke, the second-most forced turnovers in an ACC game by Wake Forest this season and most since the 20 against Clemson on Jan. 28.
This included 13 turnovers in the first half alone which resulted in 11 points on the other end in the opening 20 minutes.
In total, the Deacs forced 20 turnovers by Clemson. This included nine steals from five different players.
The 20 turnovers are the second-highest total forced in ACC play both this season and during the Gebbia era as well as tied for the third-highest total this season, marking the most since forcing 25 in the opening game of the North Shore Showcase against BYU:
1. vs. BYU - 25 turnovers forced (Nov. 18, 2023)
2. vs. North Carolina - 24 turnovers forced (Feb. 18, 2024)
T3. at Clemson - 20 turnovers forced (Jan. 28, 2024)
T3. vs. NC A&T - 20 turnovers forced (Nov. 15, 2023)
The Demon Deacons forced 15 Florida State turnovers, despite the Seminoles coming into the game averaging only 11.2 per game.
Of note, Florida State came in ranked top-10 in the country in turnover offense. Additionally, the Deacs won the turnover battle, despite the Seminoles averaging a +4.2 turnover margin over their first 13 games of the season.
Against Villanova, the Demon Deacons turned the Wildcats over a season-high 10 times in the game as Villanova came into the contest second in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Prior to that, Wake Forest forced 19 Saint Louis turnovers, the second-most the Billikens had committed in a single game this season and it resulted in 20 points on the other end for the Demon Deacons.
In the Deacs' game against BYU, they forced 26 turnovers, marking the most since January 22, 2017 against Georgia Tech when the Demon Deacons also forced 26 turnovers in the game. Additionally, it was the first time since December 18 and 21, 2017 against Charlotte and College of Charleston that Wake Forest has produced 20 or more opponent turnovers in back-to-back games. It marked the first time since March 16, 2017 (Washington State) that a Power-5 team had forced BYU into 26 or more turnovers.
FROM THE LINE
Graduate guard Kaia Harrison went 2-of-2 from the free throw line Thursday against Clemson. Overall this season, Harrison is 87-of-104 (83.7 pct.), ranking fifth in the ACC and 72nd nationally in free throw percentage.
Junior Elise Williams is averaging a career-best 81.6 percent from the stripe (80-of-98) this season, ranking sixth in percentage in the league and 96th nationally. Additionally, she is now ranked tied for eighth in program history in career free throw percentage:
Through 29 games this season, Wake Forest has seen a massive uptick in free throw shooting percentage, going from 66.0 percent (343-of-520) last season to 72.9 percent (298-of-409) this season.
On Thursday, the team went 13-of-14 from the charity stripe (92.9 percent). It marked the highest free throw percentage of the season for the Deacs and second time shooting above 90 percent from the line.
This is the 13th time in the last 15 games the Demon Deacons have shot 70 percent or better.
Not only are the Deacs having a resurgent season at the line but one of the best in program history:
LAST TIME
Wake Forest vs. Clemson (Feb. 29)
Result: L, 64-68
Versus NC State
Series: NC State leads 77-15
Last Time: Feb. 9, 2023
Result: L, 59-73
It is on to postseason basketball as the result of Sunday's game determines the Deacs seeding the in upcoming ACC Tournament.
Wake Forest is guaranteed to play Wednesday in either the 3:30 or 6:30 p.m. game in Greensboro, N.C.
The Demon Deacons have advanced in each of the last four ACC Tournaments and have reached the quarterfinals during three of those seasons including last year's three-day run at the tournament.
After going 2-0 last week with road wins at Pitt and Georgia Tech, the Demon Deacons (6-23, 2-15 ACC) will be looking to extend their ACC road winning streak to three games on Sunday. The last time that the Demon Deacons had an ACC road winning streak of three or more games came during the 2011-12 season when the Deacs defeated Boston College, NC State and Clemson from Feb. 5-Feb. 19, 2012. A third-consecutive road win would solidify Wake Forest as the No. 14 in the ACC Tournament which would have the Deacs tipoff Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The Deacs will be also in search of their third top-100 NET win of the season and second in the last three games after beating No. 69 Georgia Tech on Sunday afternoon. Wake Forest is looking for just their third ever win at NC State and the first since defeating a top-15 ranked Wolfpack team on Feb. 19, 2017. Wake Forest has navigated one of the most difficult schedules in the country, as the Deacs' average opponent NET now ranks eighth nationally and second in the ACC with only NC State having a more difficult schedule.
The nationally-ranked Wolfpack (24-5, 12-5 ACC) snapped a two-game slide with a ranked victory over No. 19 Syracuse Thursday night in Reynolds Gymnasium and with the win NC State clinched a top-4 seed and double-bye in the upcoming conference tournament. The Pack have been one of the best teams in the country at rebounding the basketball this season, ranking 11th nationally with 43.3 rebounds per game and fourth nationally with 31.4 defensive rebounds per game, leading the league in both categories. NC State has also played clean basketball as they lead the conference and rank fifth nationally with just 12.8 fouls per game.
Tipoff for Sunday is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (ET) at Reynolds Coliseum.
For those not at the arena, fans can tune in to ACC Network Extra for Sunday's game. A live stats feed can be found here for Sunday. You can also listen to the game on GoDeacs.com/Watch.
Fans can follow along via the Demon Deacons Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts (@WakeWBB).
WELCOME TO 1000
Junior guard Elise Williams made history Thursday night as she reached the 1,000-point mark for her career.
She went into the Clemson game with 983 career points, just 17 points away from becoming the 31st player in program history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. She finished the game with almost a new career-high, dropping 28 points on 8-of-16 shooting and 9-of-10 from the free throw line.
Williams will now look to move up the scoring list on Sunday afternoon as she is 12 points away from Barbara Buchanan (1980-84) in 30th and 26 points away former teammate Gina Conti (2017-21) in 29th:
| Rank | Player | Career Points |
| 22. | Beth Davis (1988-91) | 1,172 |
| 23. | Alex Sharp (2016-20) | 1,149 |
| 24. | Raeanna Mulholland (1993-97) | 1,110 |
| 25. | Sicily Ray (2008-12) | 1,099 |
| 26. | Ariel Stephenson (2015-19) | 1,079 |
| 27. | Tonia Brown (2000-04) | 1,073 |
| 28. | Erin Ferrell (2001-05) | 1,044 |
| 29. | Gina Conti (2017-21) | 1,037 |
| 30. | Barbara Buchanan (1980-84) | 1,023 |
| 31. | Elise Williams (2021-Pres.) | 1,011 |
MONTH OF FEBRUARY
The dynamic backcourt duo of Elise Williams and Kate Deeble have lit it up in the month of February and have been the key components of the Deacs peaking at the right time of the season.
Williams, who is averaging 12.8 points per game over the course of the entire season, has been on a blistering pace of the course of the nine games during February:
| Stat | Average/Percentage |
| Points Per Game | 18.1 PPG |
| Rebounds Per Game | 5.6 RPG |
| Steals Per Game | 2.6 SPG |
| Three-Point Percentage | 44.4 pct. |
| Free Throw Percentage | 79.5 pct. |
Deeble has been one of the hottest shooters in the conference lighting it up from behind the arc and from the field throughout the entire month:
| Stat | Average/Percentage |
| Points Per Game | 9.3 PPG |
| Field Goal Percentage | 50.0 pct. |
| Three-Point Percentage | 57.1 pct. |
ELISE'S HISTORIC PERFORMANCES
Junior guard Elise Williams recorded her third-career double-double as she notched 14 points and 10 rebounds in addition to seven assists against Boston College. It marked the first double-double by a Demon Deacon since Demeara Hinds against Morgan State last season on March 16, 2023.
Additionally, it was just the third 14-10-7 or better game in the Her Hoops Stats era (2009-10) by a Wake Forest player and first since Dearica Hamby against Pitt on March 5, 2014.
| Player | Date | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Elise Williams | Jan. 18, 2024 | 14 | 10 | 7 |
| Dearica Hamby | March 5, 2014 | 25 | 16 | 8 |
| Brittany Waters | Feb. 27, 2011 | 20 | 11 | 7 |
Against Georgia Tech, she followed that up with another historic night and her second double-double of the season. Williams led the Deacs with 23 points and 11 rebounds along with three assists and one steal.
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.
Williams led the team with 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals against Florida State Thursday. She became the fifth Demon Deacon in the HerHoopsStats era (2009-10) to record that statline (17 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals) and first since Gina Conti on Nov. 28, 2020. It also marked her 11th game this season with double-digit points and sixth time in ACC play.
In the most recent road game against Georgia Tech, Williams had a career-high 31-point outing, shooting a stellar 10-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. This marked the first 30-point game since Jewel Spear had 34 points in a win over Louisville on Jan. 26, 2023. Williams became just the 21st player in program history to score 30 or more points in a single game.
Thursday against Clemson, Williams notched her fifth 20-point game of the season, as the junior finished with a team-high 28 points in addition to a season-high five steals. It marked the first time in her career she recorded back-to-back 20-point games. She finished an impressive 9-of-10 from the free throw line which were both career highs.
Since the start of ACC play, Williams leads the team with 14.7 points per game while also averaging 4.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. In conference play, Williams has been one of the best all-around players in the conference, ranking fifth in steals (2.0 steals/game), sixth in free throw percentage (83.3 pct.), 12th in assists and 17th in scoring.
AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE
Redshirt freshman guard Kate Deeble finished a stellar 5-of-5 (100 percent) from beyond-the-arc and 7-of-9 from the floor in addition to an assist in the Deacs win over Pitt on Thursday. Her five threes are the most by a Demon Deacon this season and most since Feb. 19, 2023. Of note, she is the first Wake Forest player in the HerHoopsStats era (2009-10) to knock down at least five three-pointers without a miss.
Her 20 points were a career-high, becoming the third player this season (Elise Williams and Madisyn Jordan) to score 20 points in a single game.
Deeble has been a catalyst on the defensive end of the floor, recording a career-high five steals against North Carolina. It helped lead the Demon Deacons to 24 turnovers, which was the most turnovers in the Courtney Banghart era and the most since the 2018-19 season when North Carolina turned it over 27 times against Auburn on Dec. 20, 2018.
SHARPSHOOTERS
Last week, the Demon Deacons lit up the three-point line, shooting a scorching 43.6 percent on 17-of-39 shooting. The 43.6 percent from behind the arc ranked 25th nationally for the week and was second in the ACC. They followed that up by hitting seven more threes Thursday night, the 14th time the Deacs have had seven or more threes in a game and the third consecutive game they have done so.
The Deacs have now shot 40 percent or better from behind the arc in five of the last nine games including both games last week.
Overall, the 2023-24 Wake Forest team has knocked down 184 threes this season which ranks fifth in program history:
| Rank | Single-Season Threes Made | Year |
| 1. | 275 | 2004-05 |
| 2. | 227 | 2022-23 |
| 3. | 215 | 2005-06 |
| 4. | 195 | 2021-22 |
| 5. | 184 | 2023-24 |
| 6. | 179 | 2008-09 |
| T7. | 172 | 2009-10 |
| T7. | 172 | 1998-99 |
| T9. | 167 | 2012-13 |
| T9. | 167 | 2010-11 |
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Over the course of the season, the Demon Deacons have navigated one of the toughest schedules in the country as the Deacs currently sit at No. 8 in the Average Opponent NET Rank metric in the country and second in the ACC. This includes 10 games against NET top-50 teams and 22 teams in the NET top-100:
NCAA Average Opponent NET Rank
1. UConn
2. Stanford
3. NC State
4. Tennessee
5. UCLA
5. Maryland
5. Colorado
8. Wake Forest
8. Duke
8. USC
Additionally since the start of conference play, all but seven teams that Wake Forest has played were either ranked or receiving votes in the AP Poll.
The strong schedule has seen Wake Forest rise 28 spots overall in the NET rankings since the start of conference play.
COWLES GETS IT GOING
Malaya Cowles finished the night against Clemson with six points and a career-high 12 rebounds and two steals.
Additionally, she has shot a stellar 73-of-126 (57.9 percent) from the floor while inside LJVM Coliseum.
- 8-of-12 vs. Wofford
- 2-of-2 vs. NC A&T
- 10-of-13 vs. Villanova
- 2-of-4 vs. Texas A&M
- 9-of-13 vs. Charlotte
- 3-of-9 vs. Norfolk State
- 5-of-5 vs. Marshall
- 1-of-2 vs. No. 13 Virginia Tech
- 6-of-11 vs. Syracuse
- 6-of-7 vs. No. 19 Notre Dame
- 2-of-5 vs. Miami
- 3-of-8 vs. Georgia Tech
- 1-of-6 vs. Virginia
- 7-of-12 vs. Florida State
- 5-of-12 vs. North Carolina
- 3-of-6 vs. Clemson
Alexandria Scruggs made her 146th appearance in a Wake Forest uniform Thursday, adding to her program-record that she set in the previous game against No. 13 Virginia Tech. Additionally against Boston College, Kaia Harrison solely moved into second place in the all-time games played list:
RK Name Years Games Played
1. Alexandria Scruggs 2019-Pres. 146
2. Kaia Harrison 2019-Pres. 142
3. Lakevia Boykin 2009-13 130
4. Brooke Thomas 2008-12 129
Dearica Hamby 2011-15 129
Milan Quinn 2013-17 129
Amber Campbell 2014-18 129
8. Secily Ray 2008-12 128
Sandra Garcia 2009-13 128
10. Chelsea Douglas 2010-14 126
Through 27 games she ranks second on the team with 4.5 rebounds per game, her highest average of her career by nearly 1.0 rebounds per game.
On Sunday, she finished the game with 10 points to go along with three assists, two rebounds and two blocks. This marked her eighth double figure game of the season with six coming during conference play.
Her 215 points this season are the most she has had in her career and her 7.4 points per game is the highest average of his career. She now has 894 points during her five seasons at Wake Forest.
ASSISTS ON MADE BASKETS
The Demon Deacons recorded 15 assists on 22 made baskets (68.2 percent) versus the Tigers.
This season, the Deacs have assisted 374 of 633 made field goals (59.1 percent). This matches the same percentage from last season and ranks in the 72nd percentile.
This was the 24th time this season that Wake Forest had 10 or more assists in a single game and the 22nd time in the last 25 games.
Last week, the Demon Deacons had 34 assists over the two wins which was the highest total and the 17.0 assists per game were the highest average in the conference.
Additionally, Wake Forest had a 1.48/1 assist/turnover ratio last week which ranked 35th nationally and second in the ACC. Alexandria Scruggs helped lead in the assist/turnover ratio as her 7/1 assist/turnover ratio led the ACC and ranked 11th nationally during this past week.
FORCING TURNOVERS
Defensively, the Demon Deacons forced double-digit turnovers for the 39th time in the last 40 games, with the lone game coming against Syracuse on Jan. 11. The 40-game stretch goes back to January of 2022. In total, the Deacs forced 15 turnovers against Clemson which resulted in 22 points off turnovers on the other end.
Over the last seven games, the Deacs are averaging 16.9 turnovers forced per game.
In total, the Deacs forced 24 turnovers against North Carolina. This was the most turnovers in the Courtney Banghart era and the most since the 2018-19 season when North Carolina turned it over 27 times against Auburn on Dec. 20, 2018. Additionally, Wake Forest forced All-ACC Deja Kelly into a career-high eight turnovers.
In total, the Deacs forced 18 turnovers against Duke, the second-most forced turnovers in an ACC game by Wake Forest this season and most since the 20 against Clemson on Jan. 28.
This included 13 turnovers in the first half alone which resulted in 11 points on the other end in the opening 20 minutes.
In total, the Deacs forced 20 turnovers by Clemson. This included nine steals from five different players.
The 20 turnovers are the second-highest total forced in ACC play both this season and during the Gebbia era as well as tied for the third-highest total this season, marking the most since forcing 25 in the opening game of the North Shore Showcase against BYU:
1. vs. BYU - 25 turnovers forced (Nov. 18, 2023)
2. vs. North Carolina - 24 turnovers forced (Feb. 18, 2024)
T3. at Clemson - 20 turnovers forced (Jan. 28, 2024)
T3. vs. NC A&T - 20 turnovers forced (Nov. 15, 2023)
The Demon Deacons forced 15 Florida State turnovers, despite the Seminoles coming into the game averaging only 11.2 per game.
Of note, Florida State came in ranked top-10 in the country in turnover offense. Additionally, the Deacs won the turnover battle, despite the Seminoles averaging a +4.2 turnover margin over their first 13 games of the season.
Against Villanova, the Demon Deacons turned the Wildcats over a season-high 10 times in the game as Villanova came into the contest second in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Prior to that, Wake Forest forced 19 Saint Louis turnovers, the second-most the Billikens had committed in a single game this season and it resulted in 20 points on the other end for the Demon Deacons.
In the Deacs' game against BYU, they forced 26 turnovers, marking the most since January 22, 2017 against Georgia Tech when the Demon Deacons also forced 26 turnovers in the game. Additionally, it was the first time since December 18 and 21, 2017 against Charlotte and College of Charleston that Wake Forest has produced 20 or more opponent turnovers in back-to-back games. It marked the first time since March 16, 2017 (Washington State) that a Power-5 team had forced BYU into 26 or more turnovers.
FROM THE LINE
Graduate guard Kaia Harrison went 2-of-2 from the free throw line Thursday against Clemson. Overall this season, Harrison is 87-of-104 (83.7 pct.), ranking fifth in the ACC and 72nd nationally in free throw percentage.
Junior Elise Williams is averaging a career-best 81.6 percent from the stripe (80-of-98) this season, ranking sixth in percentage in the league and 96th nationally. Additionally, she is now ranked tied for eighth in program history in career free throw percentage:
| Rank | Player | Career FT Percentage |
| 1. | Nicole Levesque (1991-94) | .830 |
| 2. | Jewel Spear (2020-23) | .827 |
| 3. | Lisa Brookes (1981-84) | .823 |
| 4. | Alice Neal (1986-89) | .805 |
| 5. | Heidi Coleman (1995-99) | .800 |
| 6. | Beth Davis (1989-91) | .792 |
| 7. | Porsche' Jones (2004-06) | .778 |
| T8. | Elise Williams (2021-Present) | .765 |
| T8. | Ivana Raca (2017-21) | .765 |
| 10. | Amber Campbell (2014-18) | .755 |
Through 29 games this season, Wake Forest has seen a massive uptick in free throw shooting percentage, going from 66.0 percent (343-of-520) last season to 72.9 percent (298-of-409) this season.
On Thursday, the team went 13-of-14 from the charity stripe (92.9 percent). It marked the highest free throw percentage of the season for the Deacs and second time shooting above 90 percent from the line.
This is the 13th time in the last 15 games the Demon Deacons have shot 70 percent or better.
Not only are the Deacs having a resurgent season at the line but one of the best in program history:
| Rank | Single-Season FT Percentage | Year |
| 1. | .753 (461-of-612) | 2004-05 |
| 2. | .741 (317-of-428) | 2020-21 |
| 3. | .729 (298-of-409) | 2023-24 |
| 4. | .724 (397-of-548) | 2005-06 |
| 5. | .719 (323-of-449) | 1993-94 |
| 6. | .707 (475-of-672) | 1991-92 |
| 7. | .694 (279-of-546) | 2021-22 |
| 8. | .693 (392-of-566) | 1985-86 |
| 9. | .691 (449-of-650) | 1990-91 |
| 10. | .686 (374-of-545) | 1992-93 |
LAST TIME
Wake Forest vs. Clemson (Feb. 29)
Result: L, 64-68
- The Demon Deacons had the best free throw shooting performance of the season, as the team went a stellar 13-of-14 (92.9 percent) from the charity stripe. Williams led the charge with a 9-of-10 clip from the line. This season, the Deacs have posted a 72.9 free throw percentage, which would rank as the third best season percentage in program history.
- With seven three pointers on 21 attempts (33.3 percent), Wake Forest has now knocked down the fifth-most triples in program history with 184.
- Defensively, the Deacs forced the Tigers into 15 total turnovers, which resulted in 22 points on the other end. Over the last seven games, the Deacs are averaging 16.9 turnovers forced per game.
- Individually, the Deacs were paced by Williams, who added 28 points and a season-high five steals. It marked the first time in her career she finished with back-to-back 20-point games. Her free throw with 23 seconds left in the third quarter was her 1,000th-career point, as she became the 31st player in program history to accomplish the feat.
- On the boards, redshirt sophomore forward Malaya Cowles hauled in a career-high 12 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass. The Wilkesboro, N.C.-native also added six points and two steals.
Versus NC State
Series: NC State leads 77-15
Last Time: Feb. 9, 2023
Result: L, 59-73
- The Demon Deacons became the first team since Columbia on Jan. 4, 2010 to hold NC State to zero made three pointers, ending a 434-game streak with a made triple for the Wolfpack.
- Defensively, Wake Forest held NC State to their second-lowest scoring output of the season. Of note, over the last 20 games at that time, the Demon Deacons held 15 of 20 opponents to 61 points or less and nine opponents in that stretch to less than 55 points.
- As a team, Wake Forest outrebounded the Wolfpack, 42-41, behind a career-high 11 boards from sophomore guard Elise Williams. Of note, Thursday marked the second time this season Williams has led the Deacs in rebounding.
It is on to postseason basketball as the result of Sunday's game determines the Deacs seeding the in upcoming ACC Tournament.
Wake Forest is guaranteed to play Wednesday in either the 3:30 or 6:30 p.m. game in Greensboro, N.C.
The Demon Deacons have advanced in each of the last four ACC Tournaments and have reached the quarterfinals during three of those seasons including last year's three-day run at the tournament.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's BasketballCoach Jake Dickert Press Conference (Sept. 22, 2025)
Monday, September 22
Wake Forest Football Head Coach Jake Dickert Press Conference (Week 5)
Monday, September 22
Football Media Availability (9/18/25)
Thursday, September 18
Matt Barrie SportsCenter at Wake Forest with Demond Claiborne
Wednesday, September 10