Wake Forest hands Florida State its fourth consecutive loss

Feb 5, 2022, 08:08 pm

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- — Jake LaRavia had a near triple-double, Alondes Williams scored 23 points, Damari Monsanto hit a clutch 3-pointer, and Wake Forest defeated Florida State 68-60 on Saturday, the Seminoles' fourth consecutive loss.

LaRavia had 18 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, missing out on a triple-double one game after Williams was also one assist shy of a triple-double. Isaiah Mucius added 10 points for Wake Forest (19-5, 9-4 ACC).

A 3-pointer by Caleb Mills drew Florida State within 57-56 with 3:51 remaining but Mucius came right back with a 3-pointer for the Demon Deacons. Cam'Ron Fletcher's layup kept Florida State within four points with 53 seconds remaining before Monsanto's huge 3-pointer.

Mills led Florida State (13-9, 6-6) with 15 points. Harrison Prieto had 13 points and 13 rebounds off the bench and Matthew Cleveland scored 11 points. Florida State shot just 33% from the field but forced 26 turnovers.

A 3-pointer by Williams gave Wake Forest a 23-16 lead with 5:21 remaining in the first half. The Demon Deacons added just two more points in the half but still led 25-21 at the break.

Florida State scored the first four points of the second half but soon fell behind 38-30 when LaRavia hit a jumper with 16:18 remaining. By the 13-minute mark Wake Forest led 46-36 and Florida State's starters had scored only 16 points. Only Mills had made more than one shot among the starters.

After a 22-point victory over the Seminoles earlier this season, Wake Forest had more of a challenge in this one but the victory gives the Demon Deacons six wins in their last seven games.

The loss was Florida State's second in a row at home and third home loss in the ACC this season, uncharacteristic as the Seminoles had entered the season with 25 consecutive home wins in the conference and 45 wins in their last 49 at home.

At halftime, Florida State celebrated Basketball Alumni Weekend. Among the more than 100 former players honored were the 1972 team that finished as the runner-up in the NCAA Tournament, the 1991 team that won the Metro Conference Championship and George McCloud, whose No. 21 jersey was hung from the rafters of the Tucker Center.

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