Demon Deacons Fall to Wolfpack, 65-56

Thursday, February 26

Raleigh, NC

7 p.m.

Wake Forest University

14-15,4-13ACC

NC State

19-9,12-5ACC

Wake Forest

NC State

2/26/2026 9:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Sophomore forward Grace Oliver finished with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting while also having a team-high tying six rebounds in the loss at NC State.

By: Kaitlyn Stocum and Andrew Kovar

RALEIGH, N.C. – Despite a game-high 20-point performance from sophomore forward Grace Oliver, the Wake Forest women's basketball team dropped a road contest to the NC State Wolfpack, 65-56, Thursday night at Reynolds Coliseum.

Oliver is averaging 18.3 points over the last four games, with three of the four games resulting in 20-plus points. The Norwell, Mass.-native. was 8-for-12 from the field and 4-for-5 from the line, with six boards, two blocks and three steals.

Junior guard/forward Mary Carter and graduate student forward Emily Johns combined for 23 points. Johns had her best game of the season from deep, knocking down 3-of-4 threes and accounting for half of the team total.

The Deacs (14-15, 4-13 ACC) were strong in the paint, with 30 points posted inside, while allowing NC State (19-9, 12-5 ACC) to score 28.

Wake Forest finished with 18 assists on 22 made baskets for the contest (81.8 percent). In 29 games this season, the Demon Deacons have totaled 495 assists on 723 field goals (68.5 percent) which would mark the highest percentage in a single season within the Megan Gebbia era.

The Deacs 495 assists this season is now ranked second most in school history:

Rank	Total Assists	Year
1.	563	1987-88
2.	495	2025-26
3.	489	2004-05
4.	488	1989-90
5.	484	1988-89

How It Happened

The Demon Deacons went on a 7-3 scoring stretch in response to the Wolfpack's early lead.
- Junior guard/forward Mary Carter started the night with a three.
- Sophomore forward Grace Oliver followed with a layup.
- Freshman guard Milan Brown finished with a driving layup at the 6:36.
Graduate student Emily Johns kept the game within three with a bucket in the paint.
- Carter followed with a layup less than a minute later.
Wake Forest trailed NC State, 16-13 at the end of the first quarter.
The Deacs went 3-for-3 from downtown over a minute and a half stretch to cut into the Pack lead.
- Johns knocked back two of the three.
Carter took a perfect trip to the charity stripe with 4:45 remaining.
Oliver made a layup as the Demon Deacons kept within scoring distance of the Wolfpack.
Sophomore guard Aurora Sørbye drained three as the half came to a close.
Wake Forest trailed the Pack, 37-32 at the half.
Scoring remained quiet throughout the third quarter, as the Deacs held the Wolfpack to seven points through the first five minutes.
- Johns launched three with thirty seconds to go.
The Demon Deacons trailed 51-41 before the final quarter.
Oliver nailed both free throws to start the fourth.
Freshman forward Opal Bird joined the scoring with a layup at the 5:15 mark.
The Demon Deacons went on a 9-0 to close out the contest.
- Oliver and freshman guard Grace Galbavy traded points over the final four and a half minutes.
Wake Forest fell, 65-56 on the road.

Standout Stats

Wake Forest finished with 18 assists on 22 made baskets for the contest (81.8 percent). In 29 games this season, the Demon Deacons have totaled 495 assists on 723 field goals (68.5 percent) which would mark the highest percentage in a single season within the Megan Gebbia era.
- The Deacs 495 assists this season is now ranked second most in school history:

Rank	Total Assists	Year
1.	563	1987-88
2.	495	2025-26
3.	489	2004-05
4.	488	1989-90
5.	484	1988-89

Posting her third 20-plus point game in four games, sophomore forward Grace Oliver went 8-for-12 from the field and 4-for-5 from the stripe to lead the Deacs' offense. Additionally, Oliver added two blocks, three steals and six boards to her statline.
- The Norwell, Mass.-native leads the ACC with a .598 FG percentage and ranks 10th in the NCAA.

From Gebbia
"We battled all game long and we played better as the game went on. We played some of our best defense of the year today and that's something to be proud of against a team like this. We turned them over 14 times which is really good for us. We are still chasing that upset but we are playing well at the end of the year. Shoutout to Grace Oliver, Emily Johns and Mary Carter for what they did on the offensive end. We need to continue playing hard and confidently as we head towards postseason play. We have a big one for seeding on Sunday and we want to finish the season with a win going into the ACC Tournament. These next few days will be key as we prepare for Florida State." - Megan Gebbia

Up Next
The Demon Deacons return home for the final time in the regular season as the Deacs are set to play host to Florida State for Senior & Graduates Day on Sunday.

Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET on ACC Network.