Wake Forest mounts comeback to knock off VT
AP Photo
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Virginia Tech squandered several double digit leads and a scrappy Wake Forest squad battled back to beat the Hokies 89-84 on Saturday afternoon.
Bryant Childress led Wake Forest (18-12, 9-9 ACC) with 26 points and Austin Arians added 15.
On Senior Day Zach LeDay, fittingly, had 24 points and 10 rebounds for Virginia Tech (21-9, 10-8 ACC). Fellow senior Seth Allen chipped in with 20.
After outshooting the Deacs by a 2-to-1 ratio early, the Hokies hit a flat spot midway through the first half before catching a second wind. A Tech lead that had been whittled to 3 swelled to 11 with five minutes left but Wake Forest battled back again. The Hokies led 47-42 at the break.
Wake Forest forward John Collins came into the contest having scored 20 points or more in 12 straight contests (the longest ACC streak in three years) but he picked up three fouls before halftime and was scoreless (0-for-1 shooting) in the first half. Collins warmed up after the break with 13 points and helped the Deacons rally.
Both teams shot better than 50 percent from the floor in the game; Wake Forest attacked the paint more in the second half to earn the comeback win.
BIG PICTURE
Virginia Tech: The loss against Wake Forest on Senior Day at sold out Cassell Coliseum prevented Virginia Tech from reaching 11 conference wins in a season for the first time since joining the league in the 2004-05 season. Present to watch the season-ending loss was retired head football coach Frank Beamer.
Wake Forest: Coming in after upsetting No. 8-ranked Louisville, the Demon Deacons most likely needed the comeback win over Virginia Tech to keep any March Madness hopes alive.
UP NEXT
The Hokies head to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY for the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament (March 7-11). Virginia Tech already has earned a first round bye, with its first opponent yet to be determined. Wake Forest will be a 10 or 11 seed.
