WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina – Redshirt senior
GiGi Smith scored a game-high 26 points, but it was not enough as Wake Forest overcome an early deficit to hand UNCW a 65-55 loss in the women's basketball season opener for both teams at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Tuesday night.
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Smith, who authored her eighth career 20-point game, made 9-of-17 shots from the floor, including a 2-for-5 showing from long range, while connecting on six of eight free throws.
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Junior forward
Paige Powell added nine points with a team-high eight rebounds while senior guard
Ahyiona Vason chipped in eight points.
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Freshman guard Alexandria Scruggs came off the bench to pace Wake Forest with 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field in addition to going 5-for-6 at the free throw line. Senior guard Alex Sharp contributed 14 points with 10 rebounds for the Demon Deacons.
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Key Moment: Wake Forest used a 24-4 run over an 11-minute span to turn a 30-23 deficit into a 45-34 lead with 1:49 remaining in the third quarter. Scruggs scored six of her points during the spurt to lead the Demon Deacons. Â
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Game Notes:
- The Seahawks saw their five-game win streak in season openers snapped … UNCW is now 26-21 all-time in season openers.
- Wake Forest now leads the all-time series by a 10-0 margin … It was the first meeting between the two in-state foes since Dec. 16, 2013.
- Smith registered her 44th career double-digit scoring effort … She also led the Seahawks in scoring for the 13th time in 31 games at UNCW.
- Smith also reached 20 or more points for the eighth time in her college career.
- Smith is averaging 26.5 points per game in her two season-opening contests with the Seahawks … She opened her UNCW career last year with a career-high 27 points in a win over Belmont Abbey.
- Redshirt junior Jessica Munoz made her first appearance for the Seahawks … She grabbed two rebounds in 15 minutes.
- Wake Forest outrebounded UNCW by a 40-24 margin, including a 14-4 advantage on the offensive glass.
Up Next: The Seahawks continue their season-opening three-game road swing on Sunday, Nov. 10, when they visit No. 14 NC State for a 2 p.m. contest against the Wolfpack inside Reynolds Coliseum. Â Â
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