College basketball

Wake rebounds vs. FSU

By wire services
Published February 13, 2005

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - This time Florida State got Wake Forest's best shot.

The sixth-ranked Deacons - memories of a loss in Tallahassee fresh in their minds - dusted the Seminoles 87-48 Saturday at Joel Coliseum.

The differences in this game and Florida State's 91-83 overtime victory Jan. 18 were striking. In Tallahassee the Seminoles shot 50 percent, outrebounded the Deacons 35-34 and got career-high scoring nights from guards Von Wafer (30), Al Thornton (26) and Todd Galloway (21).

On Saturday, Florida State shot 33.9 percent and was beaten 49-27 on the boards, and the Wafer, Galloway, Thornton trio combined for 27 points, with Galloway scoring none.

"It's tough enough to play Wake Forest even when you're giving it your all," FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. "That's what we did in Tallahassee. If you don't come out and play your very best, they're going to hurt you."

The Deacons (21-3, 9-2 ACC) and Seminoles (11-13, 3-8) were tied at 17 with just more than 11 minutes left in the first half when Wake Forest took off on a 24-5 run.

By the time Justin Gray (20 points) hit two free throws with 4:05 left in the half, the Deacons led 41-22.

"During that stretch we really faltered emotionally," Hamilton said.

And - as they did in Wednesday's victory against N.C. State - the Deacons bench gave Wake Forest a huge lift, especially guard Taron Downey (14 points) and forward Trent Strickland (10). Downey made two of three 3-pointers, and three of Strickland's five baskets were dunks.

"Anyone who has fresh legs can come in and take advantage of defenders who have been out there running up and down," Strickland said. "I've been in the gym a lot, going into the coaches and asking them what I can do to improve."

Downey wanted a measure of revenge against the Seminoles after the previous game, in which he missed a free throw with less than a second left in regulation that would have won it.

"I still felt a little grudge against them," he said. "It was very hard. I was losing sleep, so I'd come in the gym late at night and shoot free throw after free throw. I don't ever want to feel like that again."

[Last modified February 13, 2005, 01:08:17]