National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Wake Forest 77, Virginia Tech 75
When: 12:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 31, 2022
Where: Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Officials: # Roger Ayers, # Bill Covington Jr., # Jamie Luckie
Attendance: 8709

Tyree Appleby scored 24 points and Wake Forest held on to defeat visiting Virginia Tech 77-75 on Saturday afternoon in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Andrew Carr recorded 14 points and Daivien Williamson added 12 for the Demon Deacons (10-4, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Wake Forest made 11 shots from 3-point range to nearly double Virginia Tech's point total from beyond the arc.

Sean Pedulla and Justyn Mutts each scored 18 points for Virginia Tech (11-3, 1-2), which lost its second straight game and fell to 0-3 overall in true road games.

Virginia Tech was hurt by 13 turnovers compared to seven giveaways by Wake Forest.

Boosted by an 8-0 run early in the second half, Wake Forest opened a 52-42 lead. Carr scored six points during that stretch with a 3-point basket and a three-point play.

Virginia Tech bounced back to pull within 60-58, aided by five consecutive points from reserve forward Mylyjael Poteat.

Two 3-pointers from Williamson allowed the Demon Deacons to regain control before Appleby connected from long range to make it 72-64.

The Hokies rallied again, closing to 72-70 with 2:15 to play on Mutts' basket. The next three points came on Appleby free throws.

Grant Basile's 3-pointer with one minute left gave the Hokies a chance. But the Demon Deacons tracked down an offensive rebound that otherwise would have given Virginia Tech a chance to tie or take the lead. Damari Monsanto's two foul shots helped clinch the outcome before Darius Maddox's basket at the buzzer.

The score was 38-38 at the break despite both teams struggling with shooting. Virginia Tech made 40 percent of its first-half shots, though it benefitted from 10-for-12 shooting on free throws.

Wake Forest, which trailed 18-10, checked in at 36.4 percent for the opening 20 minutes. The Demon Deacons were charged with only one turnover in the first half.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Virginia Tech   Wake Forest
Justyn Mutts 18 Scoring Tyree Appleby 24
Sean Pedulla 7 Assists Tyree Appleby 7
Justyn Mutts 11 Rebounds Cameron Hildreth 8
Sean Pedulla 5 Free Throws Made Tyree Appleby 10
Sean Pedulla 3 Steals Tyree Appleby 2
Justyn Mutts 3 Blocks Davion Bradford 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Virginia Tech 75 45.8 6-21 15-19 14 36 4 5 13
Wake Forest 77 36.5 11-28 20-26 12 35 2 5 7