Wake Forest Drops Tight Contest to Miami, 64-61
The Hurricanes (7-4, 1-1 ACC) only four losses this season have come to teams either in the top 25 or receiving votes as the Demon Deacons (10-3, 1-1 ACC) forced the Canes into 18 turnovers which resulted in 18 points on the other end of the floor.
The Deacs also held Miami without a free throw until the fourth quarter and forced Hurricane leading scorer Ra Shaya Kyle to a season-low five points. Additionally, it was her fewest points scored since Jan. 9, 2025 against No. 15 Kentucky.
The game was tight the entire way as neither team had a lead bigger than eight points in the game. With Miami leading by seven with just 33 seconds remaining in the game (63-56), the Deacs mounted one last run and had a shot to tie the game as time expired.
Four Wake Forest players finished in double figures as junior guard/forward Mary Carter spearheaded the Demon Deacon offense with a team-high 13 points. Carter went 5-of-10 from the field and totaled six rebounds.
Sophomore guard Aurora Sørbye had another strong outing, finishing with a game-high seven assists to go along with 10 points. Through two ACC games, she has 11 assists to just one turnover.
How It Happened
- The two squads traded points for the opening portion of the matches with Wake Forest taking a 12-6 lead.
- Sophomore guard Grace Oliver grabbed the first points of the night to begin the Demon Deacon offense.
- Freshman guard Opal Bird knocked a jumper from the arc to give the Deacs their largest lead of the night at the 6:43.
- Wake Forest held its lead at 16-11 with back-to-back layups.
- With the 20-18 lead, the Demon Deacons maintained its lead into the second quarter.
- Freshman guard Caitlyn Jones connected with redshirt-junior guard Madisyn Jordan under the basket less than 30 seconds in.
- The Demon Deacons made it 29-22 with a three from junior guard/forward Mary Carter.
- Sophomore guard Aurora Sørbye went 2-for-2 at the line with 2:09 remaining to hold its lead at 34-28.
- Wake Forest closed the first half leading Miami, 34-32.
- A stepback jumper in the paint from Brown began a seven point scoring stretch out of the locker room.
- Sørbye drained three to make it 39-32.
- The Deacs trailed the Hurricanes 48-47 entering the final quarter, however Wake Forest continue to battle in the closing stages.
- Oliver posted two in the paint off a Hurricane turnover to keep the game within one, 49-50.
- Carter tabbed a layup with 5:53 to go.
- A three from Sørbye tied the game back up at 54-54.
- With 27.1 seconds left, Carter worked an and-one to cut the Miami lead to four, at 59-63.
- The Demon Deacons forced a turnover at the 0:20 mark and Jones took it up the paint to bring the game within a basket.
- Wake Forest fell to Miami, 64-61.
Standout Stats
- Wake Forest tallied 18 total assists on the night on 25 made baskets (72.0 percent). In 13 games this season, the Demon Deacons have totaled 223 assists on 327 field goals (68.2 percent) which would mark the highest percentage in the Megan Gebbia era.
- The Demon Deacons are averaging 17.15 assists per game, second in the ACC behind Virginia’s 18.27.
- With 13 points, junior guard/forward Mary Carter spearheaded the Demon Deacon offense.
- Carter went 5-of-10 from the field and totaled six rebounds.
- Freshman guard Milan Brown matched Carter’s six rebounds and added 10 points, three assists and a season-high two steals.
- Sophomore forward Grace Oliver provided another consistent performance for the Deacs with 11 points and five rebounds.
- Across 13 games, Oliver is second in the ACC with a .587 field goal percentage.
From Gebbia
“This is a tough loss where we had our chances to beat a good team. We played them well but the execution in the fourth wasn’t good enough to win the game. We need to close out games late and we have had four close ones in the last four games. I am proud of Aurora, seven assists to one turnover. We had 20 turnovers as a team and their offensive rebounds hurt us especially as the game went on. We need to focus in practice on rebounding, getting to the line and taking care of the ball. One of the things we can learn from this is that everyone is talented in this league up and down the lineups. We have one more game in non-conference to get things right before going back into conference play in 2026. We need to keep going forward against Gardner-Webb. We have to be ready and locked into practice this week.” – Megan Gebbia
Up Next
Wake Forest will host its final non-conference opponent this Monday as they welcome Gardner Webb to the Joel.
Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
