Junior Damari Monsanto set career highs with 28 points and eight 3-pointers to lead visiting Wake Forest to an 81-64 victory over Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon in South Bend, Ind.
Monsanto drilled three 3-pointers in the first two minutes of the second half to help turn a one-point halftime lead into an eight-point advantage.
Tyree Appleby added 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Demon Deacons (15-9, 7-6 Atlantic Coast Conference), who snapped a four-game losing skid.
Nate Laszewski posted 18 points and seven rebounds for Notre Dame (10-13, 2-10). Cormac Ryan added 12 points for the Fighting Irish, who shot just 38.0 percent from the floor and 19.0 percent from beyond the arc.
Notre Dame scored just three points in the first four minutes before reeling off 13 straight points over 2:58 to seize a 16-4 lead.
The Demon Deacons missed nine of their first 11 shots and committed eight turnovers in the first 10 minutes before Monsanto’s 3-pointer snapped an 8:20 scoreless drought.
Notre Dame held a 22-13 lead before Wake Forest made a run of its own that started with a Matthew Marsh dunk. Appleby went coast-to-coast for a layup and Monsanto drilled his third 3-pointer to pull within 22-20 with 3:58 left and force Notre Dame coach Mike Brey to call a timeout.
Cameron Hildreth sank a runner with 44 seconds left to give Wake Forest a 27-26 edge at the break.
Monsanto canned three more 3-pointers and Daivien Williamson connected from beyond the arc with 17:47 to play to give the Demon Deacons a 41-30 lead.
Notre Dame got as close as 49-42 on Marcus Hammond’s 3-pointer with 13:47 to play — the Fighting Irish’s first of four makes from beyond the arc on the day — but Wake Forest pulled away down the stretch.
–Field Level Media
