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Wake Forest Cruises Past Clemson 85-77
Demon Deacons jump out to big early lead, hold off Tigers' second-half surge
Feb. 23, 2026 at 7:15pm
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Wake Forest jumped out to a 20-point lead midway through the first half and never let Clemson fully recover, cruising to an 85-77 victory over the Tigers on Wednesday night. Juke Harris led the Demon Deacons with 20 points, while Sebastian Akins added 16 as Wake Forest shot 55% from the field.
Why it matters
The win gives Wake Forest its third straight victory, helping the Demon Deacons build momentum in the ACC. For Clemson, the loss is its third in a row, dropping the Tigers out of a tie for first place in the conference standings.
The details
Wake Forest raced out to a 45-32 halftime lead, shooting 67% from the field in the first half. The Demon Deacons used a 22-8 run early on to build their big advantage. Clemson pulled to within 46-41 early in the second half, but could not complete the comeback. Jake Wahlin led the Tigers with 17 points, while Carter Welling and Ace Buckner added 13 each.
- Wake Forest took the lead for good about two minutes into the game.
- The Demon Deacons had their largest lead, 45-25, with 2:27 left before halftime.
- Clemson opened the second half on a 9-1 surge to pull to 46-41.
The players
Juke Harris
Wake Forest forward who scored a team-high 20 points.
Sebastian Akins
Wake Forest guard who scored 16 points.
Jake Wahlin
Clemson forward who made three 3-pointers and scored a team-high 17 points.
Carter Welling
Clemson guard who scored 13 points.
Ace Buckner
Clemson guard who scored 13 points.
What’s next
Clemson will look to bounce back when it hosts Florida State on Saturday, while Wake Forest hits the road to face Virginia Tech.
The takeaway
This game highlighted the Demon Deacons' ability to jump out to big leads and hold on, while the Tigers struggled to overcome their early deficit despite a second-half surge. Both teams will look to build on this result as they continue their ACC schedules.
