Hunter Sallis scored 23 points to lift Wake Forest to an 81-71 road victory over Syracuse in Tuesday’s Atlantic Coast Conference action.
Cameron Hildreth chipped in 14 points for the Demon Deacons (10-4, 2-1 ACC), who shot 9-of-19 from 3-point range, including two makes apiece by Hildreth, Sallis, Ty-Laur Johnson (11 points) and Juke Harris (10 points).
Tre’Von Spillers contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds for the visitors.
The Orange (6-7, 0-2) were led by Lucas Taylor and Jaquan Carlos with 16 points apiece, while Kyle Cuffe Jr. chipped in 14 points. Eddie Lampkin Jr. pitched in with eight points and 10 boards for Syracuse, which struggled with its shooting from the field (37.5 percent) and the 3-point line (5-of-22).
Eighteen turnovers didn’t help the Orange’s cause, either.
After facing a 16-point deficit early in the contest, Syracuse finally caught up early in the second half and eventually held a small lead midway through the second session.
Harris’ 3-pointer with less than 11 minutes left put the Demon Deacons in front to stay, 53-51.
With about 3 1/2 minutes left, Hildreth’s 3-pointer turned a 68-65 lead into a six-point advantage. Wake Forest went 10-of-10 from the foul line in the final two minutes to cruise to the finish line.
Wake Forest used an early 13-0 run to open a 17-2 lead less than five minutes into the game. Johnson scored six straight points in the midst of that dominant stretch. Sallis made it 19-3 Wake with a jumper at the 14:35 mark.
Syracuse began chipping away and closed to within 21-14 on Jyare Davis’ 3-pointer, and then within 23-20 on two free throws by Lampkin.
In the waning seconds of the half, Johnson committed a foul on a 3-pointer by Donnie Freeman, who made all three free throws to get the Orange within 36-34 at the break.
Cuffe had 13 first-half points to pace Syracuse, while Johnson led Wake Forest with 11.
–Field Level Media
