Wake Forest beats Syracuse in final second for first ACC Tournament win since 2017
Wake Forest guard Tyree Appleby celebrates after scoring during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Syracuse at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, Wednesday, March 8, 2023, in Greensboro, N.C. Credit: AP/Chris Carlson
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Daivien Williamson made a game-winning 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left and Wake Forest beat Syracuse 77-74 on Wednesday for its first ACC Tournament win since 2017.
Wake Forest (19-13), the No. 9 seed, advances to play top-seeded Miami in the quarterfinals on Thursday. The Deamon Deacons had lost six straight games at the NCAA Tournament and nine of their last 10.
Williamson grabbed a long rebound off a missed jumper by Joe Girard and handed it to teammate Tyree Appleby, who dribbled up the court and drew multiple defenders at the top of the key. Williamson was left open for a long 3-pointer and Syracuse was well short on a heave at the buzzer.
“We just had to go, we knew we ain't have no timeouts,” Williamson said in a TV interview. “Tyree made a great pass, I had confidence to knock it down and I did.”
Williamson finished with four 3-pointers and 17 points and Appleby had 15 points and 12 assists for Wake Forest. Bobi Klintman secured a double-double in the first half and finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Cameron Hildreth also scored 15 points and Andrew Carr had 10 points, eight rebounds and three steals.
Wake Forest scored the opening four points of the second half to take its first lead, 37-35, since it was 6-5. Appleby and Williamson each made a 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to cap a 17-1 run for a 54-42 lead. The run came during the Deamon Deacons’ 21-7 start to the half.
Hildreth scored seven straight Wake Forest points to help build a 70-66 lead and he added a spinning shot in the lane with 36.2 seconds left to tie it at 74-all.
Wake Forest guard Daivien Williamson celebrates after scoring the winning basket against Syracuse during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, Wednesday, March 8, 2023, in Greensboro, N.C. Credit: AP/Chris Carlson
Benny Williams had 18 points, 11 rebounds and five steals and Judah Mintz added 18 points with seven assists for Syracuse (17-15). Jesse Edwards, who had 27 points on Saturday in a 72-63 win over Wake Forest, was held to just two points in the first half and finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Williams completed a three-point play to tie it at 60-all and he sank a 3-pointer with 59.5 seconds left for a 74-72 lead.
