Tennessee Volunteers vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons Match Player Stats On Dec 23, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 23, 2017

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Tennessee used a strong start to the second half and the No. 21 Volunteers, buoyed by scoring the game's final 13 points, went on to a 79-60 victory against host Wake Forest on Saturday afternoon at Joel Coliseum.

Jordan Bowden led the way with 17 points – with 14 coming in the second half -- and Admiral Schofield had 14 points for Tennessee (9-2). Jordan Bone added 12 points, while Grant Williams and Kyle Alexander each had 11 points.

The Volunteers enter Southeastern Conference play next weekend with less than three losses for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

Keyshawn Woods scored 14 of his 18 points in the first half for Wake Forest (7-5), which had its longest winning streak (six games) in eight years end. Mitchell Wilbekin added 11 points.

The Demon Deacons, who were facing a nationally ranked team for the first time this season, committed 20 turnovers.

Up 59-49 with less than nine minutes to play, the Volunteers wavered at times down the stretch but did not allowed Wake Forest to pull closer than five points.

Schofield's 3-pointer stretched the lead to 72-60 and Bowden's 3 on the next possession clinched it.

Tennessee hit eight of its first 10 shots in the second half to bolt to a 52-43 edge.

Trailing 57-49, Wake Forest scoring leader Bryant Crawford picked up his fourth foul with 9:57 remaining.

Tennessee led 36-35 at halftime, so the Volunteers still haven't trailed at the half this season.

Williams, the team's leading scorer at 15.8 points per game, was called for an elbowing foul on the opening tip, creating a video review one second into the game.

The Volunteers were charged with five fouls barely more than four minutes into the game.

NOTES: This was the first non-tournament meeting between Tennessee and Wake Forest since 1970. ... This marked the third year in a row that a Southeastern Conference team visited Wake Forest, which defeated Arkansas two years ago and beat LSU last year. ... Wake Forest C Doral Moore hadn't missed more than one shot from the field in any of the last eight games, but he was 1-for-3 in the first half. ... Tennessee's two losses this season came to the past two national champions: Villanova and North Carolina. ... Tennessee goes to Arkansas next Saturday for its SEC opener. ... Wake Forest opens Atlantic Coast Conference play next Saturday at North Carolina.