Kevair Kennedy had 23 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as Wake Forest rolled to an 89-51 victory over Southern Utah on Saturday afternoon in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Isaac Carr came off the bench to score 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting and Gavin Placide posted 16 points and seven rebounds for the Demon Deacons (3-1). Gallagher Placide chipped in nine points as Wake Forest’s reserves accounted for 40 points.
JaJuan Nicholls had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Southern Utah (3-2), which made only 4 of 17 shots from 3-point range. The Thunderbirds also struggled with free throws, going 15-for-27.
The outcome marked both a season-high point total and a season-low opponent’s total for Wake Forest, which has won all three of its home games this season.
Kennedy has led the Demon Deacons in scoring in three consecutive games. He made seven of 11 shots from the field, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, and all six of his free throws. Six of the 6-foot-2 guard’s rebounds came on the offensive glass.
Carr set a career high for the second game in a row after racking up 15 points earlier in the week vs. Charleston Southern.
Wake Forest’s 44-27 rebounding edge was especially troubling for the Thunderbirds as the Demon Deacons grabbed 16 offensive rebounds in the game.
The Demon Deacons raced to a 46-28 halftime lead despite going 3-for-10 on 3-pointers. They ended the game 7-for-21 from beyond the arc.
The score was tied 14-14 before Wake Forest went on a 14-4 run. Gallagher Placide capped the outburst with a 3 and a dunk. The Demon Deacons expanded the margin from there. They ended the first half with a 10-3 spurt. Carr scored the final five points of that stretch.
It was a rough two-game trip to North Carolina for the Thunderbirds, who lost 88-59 on Thursday night at nearby High Point.
–Field Level Media
