SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Playing up North for its final regular-season test of 2022-23, the Wake Forest men’s basketball team suffered a defeat against Syracuse (17-14, 10-10) on Saturday evening (March 4) inside the Carrier Dome.
The Demon Deacons (18-13, 10-10) were led by Tyree Appleby on the offensive end, as the graduate guard went for his 12th season showing of 20 or more points – tallying a team-best 21 during the evening. The Jacksonville, Arkansas, native also continued his pace as the Atlantic Coast Conference’s (ACC) assists leader, handing out eight dimes. Appleby also added five rebounds and three steals in 39 minutes of action.
Daivien Williamson again reached double-figures in scoring, chipping in 11 points while pouring in three triples. Likewise to Appleby, he also played 39 minutes.
Bobi Klintman posted seven points and collected seven rebounds. In just 10 minutes, reserve Zach Keller contributed six points and three boards while making all of his field goal attempts. Cameron Hildreth finished with six points and four assists.
As a whole, the Deacs dished out 19 assists on 24 made baskets.
Wake Forest will be the 9-seed in the ACC Tournament next week and play Wednesday (March 8) at noon against Syracuse in the second round at the Greensboro Coliseum. The winner will face the No. 1 seed in the noon game Thursday (March 9) on ESPN or ESPN2.
Standout Stats
- The Deacs held the Orange to a season-low two three-pointers for a season-low 14.3 percent
- The Wake Forest defense caused 14 Syracuse turnovers, the third-most for the Orange this season.
- Tyree Appleby led the way with a team-high 21 points on Saturday.
- It was his 12th game of the season with 20 or more points.
- Appleby added five rebounds, eight assists, and three steals to his stat line for an all-around performance.
How It Happened
- After Syracuse scored the first five points of the game, Daivien Williamson got out in the open floor for a layup and put Wake Forest on the board.
- Just over a minute later, Tyree Appleby followed with a finish of his own.
- The Deacs trailed 6-4 once the first media timeout arrived.
- Bobi Klintman drilled a three-pointer from the left wing at the 14:43 mark, entering the scoring column.
- Wake Forest took its first lead, 7-6.
- Matthew Marsh checked in to give the Deacons four points in the paint quickly – finishing off an alley-oop dunk before cleaning up a putback.
- Andrew Carr then followed with a second-chance layup.
- Back-to-back scoring possessions by Syracuse tied up the margin at 13 with just over 11 minutes to play in the first half.
- An Appleby three-pointer ended a Syracuse run and cut into the Deacs’ deficit, 25-17, with 6:40 left to play in the first half.
- Lucas Taylor followed suit on the next possession with a corner three to make it 27-20, Syracuse.
- Another triple from Appleby got the Deacs within five with five minutes let in the half.
- Williamson knocked down the Deacs’ fifth three-pointer of the half to close the gap, 29-26.
- Wake Forest continued to drain threes, with another one from Appleby to make the score 32-29, Syracuse leading, at the under-four media timeout.
- The team made five consecutive field goals during the span.
- Turnovers from both sides comprised the final 3:14 of the opening half, with the Deacs going scoreless until the break arrived.
- Using a final 7-0 push, Syracuse led 39-29 at halftime.
- The second period of play opened with a technical foul called on the Orange, as Appleby made both at the charity stripe.
- Williams rang in a triple next, cutting the deficit to 39-35.
- Klintman answered a Syracuse jumper with a jumper of his own to keep the Deacs within five.
- A layup from Appleby and a pair of free throws from Hildreth had Wake Forest down just six, 46-40, with 15:53 to go in the game.
- An Andrew Carr dunk ended a Syracuse run and got the Deacs within 10, 52-42.
- Klintman threw one down off an oop from Appleby to get the team back into single-digit territory at the under-12 media timeout.
- Appleby’s fourth three-pointer of the game ended another Syracuse run before the under-8 media timeout.
- Appleby drained his fifth three of the night on the first play out of the timeout to cut the deficit, 62-50.
- Williamson followed with another three and Keller capitalized on a second-chance layup to keep the Deacs within 11 of the Orange.
- A mid-range jumper by Keller got Wake Forest within single digits, 68-59, with 2:10 left to play.
- Keller followed with a dunk off a Hildreth assist to stay within single digits, 70-61.
- Hildreth got it to seven with a layup off a pass from Appleby with less than a minute to go.
- Syracuse defeated Wake Forest, 72-63.
Coach’s Comments
“We did not have an answer for Jesse Edwards tonight. He had a monster game and dominated around the basket. In the first half, we came out aggressive on offense. We didn’t make a lot of shots early but the ball was moving, we were getting inside the defense. Right after I got the technical, it seemed like we just got real tentative and we quit playing aggressively and we weren’t fearless on offense and it turned into turnovers and then that turned into transition defense. It’s just hard to guard them that way. Then they got too many points in the first half. We didn’t really struggle to guard them in the half court, we just couldn’t have the quick turnovers and we had to quit giving up offensive rebounds. We had 19 assists on 24 baskets. We did share the ball. The five man was open a lot in the zone over the top. We just couldn’t get it to him or he couldn’t finish. We brought the five all the way up, which was good for us and that’s why we got some stuff in the second half around the basket. We did a poor job of getting 50/50 balls. There’s a lot of those we just don’t get, and in a game like that it just really hurts you. So we’ll get back and take the day off tomorrow, which we need, and get ready to play Wednesday in the ACC tournament.” – head coach Steve Forbes
Upcoming
- Tuesday, March 7 – ACC Tournament begins in Greensboro
