DALLAS — In an exciting matchup on Saturday night, Wake Forest overcame SMU, halting the Mustangs’ five-game winning streak with a score of 77-66. Hunter Sallis was a key contributor for Wake Forest, scoring 12 of his 20 points prior to halftime.
Wake Forest improved its record to 19-7 overall and 11-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference with this victory, bouncing back from a narrow 72-70 defeat to Florida State earlier in the week. The team has now secured four wins in its last five contests. Despite having a challenging shooting night, hitting only 4 of 15 attempts from the field, Sallis excelled at the charity stripe, converting 11 of 14 free throws while also recording nine rebounds and six assists. Parker Friedrichsen was another standout, nailing five 3-pointers for a total of 18 points. Additional contributions came from Ty-Laur Johnson, who added 12 points, and Efton Reid, who chipped in 10. Tre’Von Spillers was a force on the boards, securing a game-high 11 rebounds along with eight points.
The Demon Deacons set the tone for the second half, launching a 19-8 scoring spree that put them ahead 51-40 with 13:44 left in the game. During this pivotal stretch, Spillers was particularly impactful with six points, while Harris added four—including a thunderous dunk, and Sallis contributed a 3-pointer. Although SMU managed to trim the deficit to just three points at 51-48 shortly after, they were unable to come any closer.
For SMU, Chuck Harris emerged as the leading scorer with 15 points. Kario Oquendo supported with 13, followed by B.J. Edwards with 12 and Matt Cross with 11. The Mustangs struggled offensively, finishing the night with a shooting percentage of just 36% (22 of 61) from the field and a disappointing 23% (8 of 35) from beyond the arc. Notably, both Harris and Cross made three 3-pointers each.
Harris played a crucial role in helping SMU to a slight 34-32 lead at halftime. Looking ahead, SMU will face Notre Dame this Wednesday, while Wake Forest is set to travel to N.C. State next Saturday.
