Tampa subregional

Freshman has a career day for the Deacons

TAMPA -- In a pinch, it took a freshman off the bench to keep Wake Forest from embarrassing itself against underdog Auburn.

Justin Gray might have been saving face -- he didn't come back from a busted jaw to go home without a fight -- but from the beginning, the slight 6-foot-1 guard was the most active shooter for the Demon Deacons. Gray, who had his mouth wired shut after a Jan.12 game at Duke and returned Feb.13, scored a career-high 26 during the 68-62 loss to the Tigers on Sunday.

Gray was the unstoppable force on a team with star senior forward Josh Howard, who had trouble with turnovers (seven) and struggled to score in the paint. Gray led Wake with 15 points in the first half and replaced starter Eric Williams, who was held out because of foul trouble, in the second half.

Returning from his injury with strong performances during February and in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, the All-ACC rookie selection seemed determined to carry the Deacons when no one else would.

He wasn't enough, though. To make matters worse, Gray was hit in the head with 13:20 to go. He returned but lost a bit of steam after the injury.

"Did it affect him? Probably," Wake coach Skip Prosser said.

"I'm not here to make excuses though."

BIRD ON HOWARD: The player who might be the most responsible for Wake's demise was Auburn's Derrick Bird.

The 6-foot-4 senior guard had the task of defending Howard, who had 14 points and eight rebounds.

Tigers coach Cliff Ellis said he had no qualms about putting Bird on the All-American ACC player of the year.

"Bird is going to take their big player," Ellis said.

"He did a great job. ... He brings his heart and soul and body to the table. Whoever is up next is going to see it."

Said Bird: "Josh is a great player. I wanted to keep him off the glass. I did my best to get him frustrated and play him tough."

ETC.: This was the 10th time this season that Auburn had four players score in double figures and the first since Feb.5 against Ole Miss. ... The Tigers had more than half of their points in the paint (36). The Deacons had 14. ... Auburn forward Marquis Daniels' first basket of the second half extended his double-figure scoring streak to 34 consecutive games. The streak dates to the final game of the 2001-02 season. ... Tigers center Kyle Davis blocked four shots to pass Alabama's Robert Horry (1992) for fourth place on the SEC's single-season blocked shots list. Davis has 122 this season. ... This is the seventh consecutive season that a No.10 seed has advanced to the Sweet 16.

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