Wake Forest Holds Off Clemson for Third Straight Win

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Wake Forest built a 45-25 lead in the first half and held on to beat Clemson 85-77 on Wednesday night, winning its third straight game. Juke Harris led the Deacons with 20 points, while Myles Colvin scored 14 points in the first half. Clemson made a 16-1 run spanning halftime to narrow the deficit, but Wake Forest found key baskets down the stretch to secure the victory.

Why it matters

This win gives Wake Forest some much-needed momentum after a rough start to the ACC season. The Deacons have now won three in a row, their longest winning streak since early December. Clemson, meanwhile, missed an opportunity to gain ground in the conference standings with this loss.

The details

Wake Forest came out firing, scoring on its first six possessions to build an early lead. Myles Colvin had 14 points in the first half, including four 3-pointers, to help the Deacons take a 20-point lead. Clemson made a 16-1 run spanning halftime to cut the deficit, but Wake Forest found timely baskets down the stretch, including a key 3-pointer from Sebastian Akins, to hold on for the victory.

• Wake Forest scored on its first six possessions to start the game.
• Wake Forest's lead hit 20 points on Colvin's last 3-pointer of the first half, making it 45-25 with about 2.5 minutes left in the half.
• Clemson scored the last seven points of the first half and carried that momentum into the second half.
• Wake Forest's first field goal of the second half came after five minutes, on a strong drive by Mekhi Mason.
• Akins drained a deep 3-pointer with a little more than two minutes left to push Wake's lead back to nine points after Clemson had narrowed it to six.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Wake Forest will look to extend its winning streak when it hosts NC State on Saturday. Clemson will try to bounce back at home against Miami on Sunday.