Jake LaRavia scored on a baseline jumper with 4.7 seconds left in overtime to break a tie as Wake Forest defeated visiting Northwestern 77-73 on Tuesday night in Winston-Salem, N.C.
After LaRavia’s basket, the Wildcats committed a turnover and LaRavia converted two free throws for the final margin.
Alondes Williams and LaRavia scored 21 points apiece for the Demon Deacons in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge game. Isaiah Mucius added 12 points for Wake Forest (7-1), which improved to 6-0 in home games.
Pete Nance tallied 15 points, Boo Buie had 12 points and seven assists and Elyjah Williams posted 11 points for Northwestern (5-2).
In overtime, LaRavia converted a three-point play for a 70-69 lead. Then down the stretch, Buie’s basket pulled the Wildcats even at the 20-second mark.
In regulation, the game hit a rough patch with the score at 64-64. Neither team scored in the last 2:34 of regulation, so it turned out that Ryan Greer’s jumper for Northwestern was the tying basket.
Williams had a chance to put Wake Forest ahead with four seconds to play in regulation, but he missed a 3-pointer. The Demon Deacons headed to overtime for the second time in three games after defeating Oregon State on Friday night.
Earlier, Wake Forest used a 13-0 run in the first half that included consecutive 3s from Williams, Dallas Walton and Mucius on the way to a 12-point edge.
Northwestern trailed 37-32 at halftime but took the lead on Berry’s 3-pointer less than two minutes into the second half. Wake Forest responded with a 10-0 run, with Williams posting the final two baskets in that stretch.
It was even again at 51-51 with more than 10 minutes remaining, and the teams were tied five more times during a stretch in which the Wildcats never moved into the lead.
–Field Level Media
