Woldetensae Paces Virginia to 65-63 Overtime Win at Wake Forest
Postgame Quotes – Wake Forest | Postgame Notes – Wake Forest | Boxscore
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Three players scored in double-figures, led by Tomas Woldetenae’s (Bologna, Italy) career-high 21 points, in Virginia’s (13-6, 5-4 ACC) 65-63 overtime win at Wake Forest (9-10, 2-7 ACC) on Sunday afternoon at Joel Coliseum.
Virginia trailed by 12 early in the second half but used a 9-0 run to tie the game as the teams then traded the lead three times down the stretch. Virginia scored first in the overtime period and Woldetensae made his seventh three of the game to give UVA its final lead.
Mamadi Diakite (Conakry, Guinea, Africa) added 16 points and Kihei Clark (Woodland Hills, Calif.) had 13 points, going 5-for-5 from the free throw line. Clark and Braxton Key (Charlotte, N.C.) led with eight rebounds and Clark dished out seven assists.
Virginia shot 36.5 percent from the field, while Wake Forest was 31 percent from the field but shot 42 percent beyond the arc. Andrien White scored 21 points to lead Wake Forest. UVA outrebounded the Deacons (42-39) and won the battle in the paint (18-6).
HOW IT HAPPENED
Woldetensae started the scoring for UVA with a three, then hit is second during a 9-0 run that gave UV a 12-4 lead at the 9:00 mark in the first half. UVA held Wake Forest scoreless for nearly 10 minutes in that span. Virginia was leading 19-12 when the Deacons used a 15-2 run to take the lead. Wake led 35-28 at the half.
Wake Forest extended its lead early in the second half, but Virginia slowly climbed back. Woldetensae hit a pair of threes to bookend a 12-2 run as the Cavaliers took a 49-46 lead with 4:26 remaining. Wake Forest regained the lead before Jay Huff (Durham, N.C.) hit a three-pointer with 39 seconds to go. Clark tacked on two free throws to make it 56-53 with 20 seconds on the clock. Wake Forest was fouled on a three-point attempt as White hit all three to send the game to overtime.
Key made a layup to begin the overtime period as UVA went on to outscore the Demon Deacons 9-7 in the win.
THE GAME BALL GOES TO
Woldetensae hit a career-high seven threes on his way to 21 points and added six rebounds.
UP NEXT
Virginia returns home to host Florida State on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.