Hunter Sallis had 20 points and nine rebounds and Ty-Laur Johnson scored nine of his 12 points in the second half to lead Wake Forest over SMU 77-66 on Saturday in Dallas.
The Mustangs (19-6, 10-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) had their win streak snapped by the Demon Deacons, who outscored SMU 45-34 in the second half to secure the victory.
Sallis was instrumental in Wake Forest's win, shooting 7-14 from the field and 3-6 from three-point range. His nine rebounds were a team-high, and he also added two assists and a steal to his stat line.
Johnson, on the other hand, was quiet in the first half, scoring just three points. However, he caught fire in the second half, hitting three three-pointers and scoring nine points to help Wake Forest pull away.
The Mustangs were led by their star player, who scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds. However, it wasn't enough to overcome the balanced attack of the Demon Deacons, who had four players score in double figures.
The win was a big one for Wake Forest, who improved to 15-10 on the season and 7-7 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Demon Deacons are now just a game back of fifth place in the conference standings, and they'll look to keep their momentum going in their next game.
For SMU, the loss was a setback, but they're still in good position to make a run in the conference tournament. The Mustangs will look to bounce back from the loss and get back to their winning ways in their next game.
The game was a back-and-forth affair in the first half, with both teams trading baskets and playing tenacious defense. Wake Forest took a 32-31 lead into halftime, but it was clear that the game was far from over.
In the second half, the Demon Deacons came out on fire, hitting three three-pointers in the first five minutes to take a 45-37 lead. SMU fought back to cut the deficit to 51-48, but Wake Forest responded with a 10-2 run to take a 61-50 lead with just over five minutes remaining.
The Mustangs made one final push, cutting the deficit to 71-66 with just over a minute remaining. However, Wake Forest hit their free throws down the stretch to secure the 77-66 win.
Overall, it was a big win for Wake Forest, who proved that they can compete with the top teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Demon Deacons will look to keep their momentum going in their next game, while SMU will look to bounce back from the loss and get back to their winning ways.