Deacons dump Florida State to end seven-game skid

Bryant Crawford scored 17 points Wednesday to lead Wake Forest to its first win in almost a month

Wake Forest teammates Bryant Crawford and Doral Moore celebrate a Deacons victory against Florida State last season (Jeremy Brevard/USA TODAY Sports)

WINSTON-SALEM — Bryant Crawford scored 19 points as Wake Forest snapped a seven-game losing streak by defeat visiting Florida State 76-72 Wednesday night at Joel Coliseum.

Keyshawn Woods and Chaundee Brown both scored 15 points while Brandon Childress, a sophomore making his second career start, added 14 points for Wake Forest (9-13, 2-8 Atlantic Coast Conference). The Demon Deacons hadn’t won since Jan. 3 against Syracuse.

Childress made two free throws with 44 seconds left to put the Demon Deacons up 73-72. Doral Moore scored the final three points with a dunk and later a free throw.

Florida State didn’t score in the final minute, with Phil Cofer missing two free throws with a chance to give the Seminoles the lead at the 29-second mark.

Cofer’s 23 points paced for Florida State, which had a three-game winning streak snapped. Terance Mann and Christ Koumadje both added 10 points, but the Seminoles (16-6, 5-5) went 6-for-21 on 3-point attempts.

The Demon Deacons made 8 of 19 long-range attempts.

Wake Forest, which trailed by 10 in the first half, was all even at 43-43 on Brown’s 3-point basket with 15:45 left.

Cofer scored the next four points before the Demon Deacons surged again, this time moving to a 55-51 edge. That marked Wake Forest‘s first second-half lead in three games.

The Seminoles led 39-33 at halftime.

Florida State used a 13-2 run for a 27-19 lead as Wake Forest went about 4 1/2 minutes without a field goal.

The Demon Deacons had another field-goal drought later in the half, again lasting almost 4 1/2 minutes before Woods’ 3-point basket right before halftime. Wake Forest was 4-for-12 from beyond the arc in the half.

Moore finished with 12 rebounds for Wake Forest, helping offset Florida State’s front line.

Wake Forest had 12 turnovers, but that was an improvement after averaging more than 20 in two games last week.

Florida State had won six meetings in a row with Wake Forest before Wednesday night.