Sports > January 17, 2008

By Ryan Durham | Sports editor

Despite starting their ACC season with a 77-75 win over Virginia Tech and ending their non-conference season with a win over a formerly ranked Brigham Young University 79-62, the Demon Deacons failed to find their feet on their first away series of the season, falling to Boston College and Maryland.

click to enlarge

Sophomore Jamie Skeen defends against a Boston College player during a 112-73 loss Jan. 12. Skeen scored 11 points and pulled down eight rebounds in the game. (Jeff Merski/Old Gold & Black)

Wake Forest entered their game against Boston College Jan. 12 on a high, but the Eagles quickly put a damper on this jovial mood. Boston College jumped to an 11-0 lead in the first four minutes of the game, a tone that would be seen throughout the game.

The Deacs finally scored on a three-pointer by sophomore guard L.D. Williams.

This did not dissuade the Eagles from their strong attack, which helped them hold the lead for the entire first half. Wake Forest did show some life with nine minutes to go in the half when they pulled within two points, but a 12-3 run gave the Eagles another double-digit lead and helped send the Deacs into the locker room down 45-30.

Boston College continued their first half success throughout the second, moving over 20 points ahead of Wake Forest and eventually winning by 39, 112-73.

Despite the loss, three Deacons scored in double figures with freshman James Johnson leading the way at 22. Sophomore Jamie Skeen and freshman Jeff Teague also scored in double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively.

The Eagles’ junior guard Tyrese Rice had arguably the best game of his career, putting up 32 points, eight assists and six rebounds while only turning the ball over three times.

Wake Forest next traveled to College Park, Md., to face the Terrapins Jan. 16.

It was the Deacs who jumped out to an early lead this time, but a scoring drought let the Terps make up the early seven-point deficit and take a lead into the half, 31-26.

“We were looking at the film and it looked like we had good looks at the basket. So I was in a little quandary when we weren’t scoring inside,” Head Coach Dino Gaudio said.

Wake Forest continued to struggle shooting in the second half, allowing the Terps to build at points double-digit leads.

With 3:39 left in the game, the Deacons pulled to within five points, but this was the closest they would come to the lead, eventually dropping the game 71-64.

“I thought that our post defense wasn’t good in the second half,” Gaudio said. “We didn’t show hard enough on the ball screens to bounce them out where our defender could angle back.”

Johnson had another good game for the Wake Forest scoring 14 points and bringing down nine rebounds.

Sophomore guard Ishmael Smith also tried to help the Deacs rebound from their previous loss with a team-leading 16 points and six assists.

Teague also broke the double-digit mark with 13 points of his own.

The Deacs next return home for a game with the Seminoles of Florida State Jan. 20 before hitting the road again to face the Clemson Tigers Jan. 22.

The two losses drop the Deacs to 1-2 in the ACC and 11-5 on the season.