WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After winning six ACC contests during January for the first time since the 1996-97 season, the Wake Forest men’s basketball team began the month of February with a 91-75 victory over Pittsburgh in Lawrence Joel Veterans’ Memorial Coliseum.
With their wire-to-wire victory, the Demon Deacons (18-5, 8-4 ACC) are the second high-major program in the country to triple their win total from the 2020-21 season (6-16). Additionally, the 16-point victory marks Wake Forest’s sixth victory this season over an ACC opponent by at least 15 points, the program’s most since the 2004-05 season.
In total, the team surpassed 50 percent shooting from the field for the 12th time this season with a mark of 54.9 percent (28-of-51), with 20 of those 28 makes being assisted upon.
All five starters for Wake Forest finished in double figures, highlighted by Jake LaRavia’s 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Dallas Walton followed close behind with 16 points on a perfect 6-of-6 from the field.
LaRavia and Walton each notched career-highs from beyond the arc, with four and three triples, respectively. As a team, the Deacs shot 51.7 percent and netted 15 shots from beyond the arc, one shy of their season high and most against an ACC opponent.
Alondes Williams finished just one assist shy of a triple-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists; while Isaiah Mucius and Daivien Williamson finished with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
How It Happened
Jake LaRavia and Daivien Williamson opened up the contest on a 9-0 run after knocking down three-pointers on each of the Deacs’ first three possessions.
Wake Forest responded to the Panthers’ first basket with a 7-0 run that gave the team an early 16-3 lead after just three and a half minutes of gametime.
Dallas Walton netted a hook shot and triple during the run, while Alondes Williams connected on a layup.
Damari Monsanto ended a 6-0 Pittsburgh run with a turnaround bankshot, extending the Deacs’ lead to nine (23-14) with just under ten minutes to go in the first half.
Williams’ first triple of the contest pushed Wake Forest’s lead to twelve (28-16) with 8:15 remaining in the opening period.
Williams rolled in a layup and Isaiah Mucius followed with a pair of unanswered baskets that gave the Deacs’ an 18-point advantage (36-18) with under four minutes to play until the intermission.
Khadim Sy drained his first attempt from downtown, giving Wake Forest a 20-point lead (43-23) with 1:44 left in the half.
Wake Forest entered halftime with a 46-24 lead over Pittsburgh.
The Demon Deacons shot an efficient 60 percent (15-of-25) from the floor in the first half while holding the Panthers to just 29.6 percent (7-of-27) on the other end.
Williams and LaRavia led the team in the points column, with nine points each. Williams also tallied seven rebounds and five assists.
Mucius scored the Deacs’ first points from beyond the arc with his second three-pointer of the game.
Williamson’s second make from downtown gave Wake Forest a 23-point lead (57-34) just under four minutes into the final half.
Mucius went 4-for-4 from the free throw line across two trips, extending the Deacs’ advantage to 19 (65-46) with 12 minutes left in the contest.
Walton drilled his career-high third triple of the night with just under nine minutes to play, pushing the lead to 21 (71-50).
Carter Whitt dropped in a triple, pushing Wake Forest’s lead to 23 (79-56) with 5:28 remaining in regulation.
Wake Forest defeated Pittsburgh, 91-75.
Stat of the Game
Jake LaRavia (four) and Dallas Walton (three) each tallied career-high makes from downtown as part of an offensive effort that saw the Deacs knock down 15 triples as a team, their second most of the season and most against an ACC foe.
Coach’s Comments
“I want to thank everyone who came out to the game. It’s been a rough couple of days in Winston-Salem and I’m thankful for the fans and students who came out tonight to support us. With that being said, I thought we got off to a great start. Jake LaRavia was aggressive from the jump and our offense shared the ball well tonight. We played really well in the first half and then I felt like we took the foot off the gas in the second half. All in all, it was a great win tonight and a great bounce-back victory.”- head coach Steve Forbes
Up Next
Following Wednesday’s game, Wake Forest will hit the road for a two-game trip beginning at Florida State on Saturday, February 5.
Tipoff in the Donald L. Tucker Center is set for noon and the game will air live on Bally Sports Sun and other regional sports networks.
