Expand / Collapse search
Watch TV
Menu

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

Sports

Wake Forest falls short to No. 19 Virginia

Associated Press
Published | Updated

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Wake Forest coach Jeff Bzdelik felt like he was watching a rerun of a horror movie Wednesday night.

The second-year boss of the Demon Deacons had just witnessed his club get blown out by No. 19 Virginia 68-44, playing poorly at both ends of the court in losing its fifth straight and ninth in the past 11 games.

The Cavaliers (19-4, 6-3 ACC) shot 53.7 percent from the floor - at one point in the second half connecting on nearly 80 percent before cooling off - and held the Deacons to 34.1 percent. Wake committed 17 turnovers, which Virginia turned into 22 points.

"We can't allow our energy to be defused when teams come out and start making shots like they did," said Bzdelik. "That has happened to us before this year and it is unacceptable. We will go back tomorrow and get back at it."

The Deacons were pulverized 76-40 by N.C. State last month and whipped 84-56 by Arizona State in November.

Wake Forest (11-13, 2-8) was able to stay reasonably close to the Cavaliers for the first 15 minutes of the opening half, before Virginia scored the last 12 points before the break to assume a 40-19 bulge at halftime.

"We turned the ball over and that fueled it some," said Bzdelik. "They got out and instead of having tough shots, they got some easy shots. We have to have everyone playing as well as they can play. We need to be operating on all cylinders."

Virginia hit its first six shots of the second period and bolted to a 52-21 advantage that ballooned to 56-23 before the Cavaliers took their foot off the gas.

"We let a lot of people down and got embarrassed," said guard C.J. Harris, whose 10 points were second to forward Travis McKie (16) for Wake. "We disappointed ourselves."

Virginia's Mike Scott was nine for nine from the floor and led the Cavaliers with 19 points in 26 minutes. It was a record for most shots without a miss against Wake Forest in school history.

"He's a good player," said Wake center Ty Walker. "He hit some big shots and some real good shots. He shot a great percentage from the floor so I just give him credit. He is a great shooter and I did the best I could."

Said Bzdelik about Scott, "Our intentions were good coming out of the gate but he was just on fire. So were the other guys and they were just hitting from all areas. Let's give Virginia a lot of the credit."

The Deacons must dismiss this game from their minds in time for Saturday's home game vs. Clemson, if they don't want to remain in the basement of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"That's not us," said Bzdelik, "and that is not how we have been playing lately. We're just going to get on that bus and go back home and know that we are much better than this."