In Winston-Salem, N.C., the Wake Forest Demon Deacons wrapped up their regular basketball season with a commanding 69-43 victory over Georgia Tech on Saturday. The home team dominated the game, thanks in part to Efton Reid’s standout performance with 12 points and a notable 13 rebounds. By halftime, Reid was just one point shy of a double-double, as Wake Forest surged to a 34-15 lead against a struggling Yellowjackets team. During the second half, Georgia Tech never managed to close the gap to less than 16 points and at one stage were trailing by as much as 31.
Both Wake Forest and Georgia Tech will receive a first-round bye in the upcoming Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, starting Tuesday in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Demon Deacons’ success was driven by Cameron Hildreth, who scored 14 points, and Hunter Sallis with an additional 13 points. This win allowed Wake Forest to match their program record for league victories for the season, finishing with a 21-10 overall record and 13-7 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
For Georgia Tech, Baye Ndongo made an impact with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Jaeden Mustaf contributed 12 points. Ibrahim Souare also played a key role for the Yellowjackets with 11 rebounds and eight points. It was Georgia Tech’s lowest-scoring game of the season, struggling with accuracy by shooting only 29.6% from the field and a disappointing 3 of 23 from beyond the arc.
Wake Forest executed a 12-1 scoring run to surge ahead to 22-11 during the first half, and closed with 12 unanswered points to lead 34-15 at the break. Although the Demon Deacons shot just 35%, including six 3-pointers, their defense stifled Georgia Tech, limiting them to just 18.5% shooting and 2 of 17 from 3-point range that half.
The second half saw improvements in shooting for the Demon Deacons, who finished the game hitting 38% of their shots, including going 11 for 31 on 3-point attempts. Despite some missed opportunities in a midpoint of the game when both teams struggled to convert baskets — with Georgia Tech missing ten consecutive shots after Lance Terry’s 3-pointer tied the game at 10, followed by a drought-busting dunk by Ibrahim Souare — Wake Forest maintained their lead to clinch the win.