Wake Forest Defeats Navy in NIT Opener

0:00On March 19th, Wake Forest's demon deacons kicked off the national invitation tournament with an 82-72 win over Navy on Wednesday. Night at Lawrence Joel, Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The team improved to 18 wins and 16 losses, while Navy dropped to 26 and 8. Five players hit double figures in scoring, with sophomore guard Juke Harris leading the way at 26 points. Harris was all over the floor, adding six rebounds and five assists to his efficient 7-13 shooting night. Senior forward, Ivon Spillers nearly posted a double-double with 14 points and 9 boards plus 4 blocks. Junior forward Omaha Bill U chipped in 15 points. Senior guard Nate Kameez had 12 in his first start in weeks and Junior guard Miles Colvin added 11 off the bench. The D's clamped down defensively, limiting Navy to 43% from the field and 32% from 3-point range. They forced 11 turnovers, grabbed five steals, and swatted five shots, keeping the midshipman at bay most of the game.

1:05In the second half, Wake Forest pulled away with a strong run, building a lead as big as 16 points behind Bill U's threes and Spillers put backs. Harris topped 20 points late, sealing it with back-to-back threes. This victory sends the demon deacons to the second round, where they'll build on their balanced attack and defensive grit for the next challenge.