Collins' 20, 11, lead Wake Forest by Coastal Carolina 86-74
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — After nearly squandering a 25-point first-half lead, Wake Forest kicked into another gear midway through the second half before pulling away for an 86-74 win against Coastal Carolina.
John Collins scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead four players in double figures for the Deacons (5-1)
Brandon Childress came off the bench to score 15 points to go along with four assists, Mitchell Wilbekin added 14 points, and Bryant Crawford finished with 12.
Wake Forest, which led 30-5 at one point in the first half, used a 21-0 run to take command.
Coastal (2-4) clawed its way back in the second half to cut the deficit to 44-40, but the Deacons responded with a 7-0 scoring run and never led by fewer than 11 points the rest of the way. They made 17 of 19 free throws in the second half and 21 of 24 for the game.
The Deacons gave up 51 points in the second half and got sloppy on offense when the Chanticleers made their surge.
"The ball started sticking in guys' hands," Wake Forest coach Danny Manning said. "We've got to be a team that moves the basketball. We have plenty of guys that are capable weapons. But once the ball sticks, we become stagnant, and we become easier to guard."
Elijah Wilson scored 20 points to lead Coastal, and Colton Ray-St Cyr added 12 points and 13 rebounds.
The Chanticleers got off to a cold start, missing 14 of their first 16 shots and scoring on just two of their first 20 possessions.
"We've been on a grueling road trip and we got off to a slow start," Coastal Carolina coach Cliff Ellis said. "I'd like to attribute it to our legs somewhat. We got good looks, but at the same time, you've got to give some credit to Wake Forest. They can stretch the court, and I think that showed."
THE BIG PICTURE
Coastal Carolina: Picked to finish fifth in the Sun Belt Conference, the Chanticleers showed plenty of fight against the bigger and more athletic Deacons in erasing a 25-point first-half deficit with a barrage of 3-pointers and a 12-3 advantage in offensive rebounds. That should take them a long way once conference play begins.
Wake Forest: The Deacons picked up the win despite some sloppy play early in the second half against an inferior team. The Deacons played well in spurts — especially in the first half — and picked it up again in the second half when things got close. That might bode well for Wake Forest later in the season when it finds itself in another close game, especially during ACC play.
STAT SHEET
Wake Forest, which leads the ACC in 3-pointers and averages 9.6 per game, knocked down 11 more against Coastal Carolina while shooting 42.3 percent from behind the arc. Childress and Wilbekin had three 3's apiece, with Wilbekin tying Josh Howard for 15th all-time with 109 3-pointers made. ... Coastal Carolina had a 15-0 advantage in second-chance points and tied Wake Forest with 41 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Coastal Carolina: After playing their last three games on the road in a span of five days, the Chanticleers return home on Tuesday to play Chattanooga in their first of five straight home games.
Wake Forest: The Deacons will play at Northwestern on Monday in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. It will be the first meeting between the teams. Wake Forest is 11-4 all-time in the challenge, including a 5-2 record on the road.