WINSTON-SALEM — Hunter Sallis scored 20 points to lead all five starters in double figures and Wake Forest opened Atlantic Coast Conference play with an 86-63 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday.
Sallis, a junior transfer from Gonzaga who averaged less than five points in both of his seasons with the Bulldogs, sank 8 of 14 shots with two 3-pointers for the Demon Deacons (9-3, 1-0). He added nine rebounds and blocked two shots and has topped the 20-point mark six times this season and twice finishing with 19.
Andrew Carr had 15 points — giving him 1,000 for his career — and eight rebounds, while Efron Reid III had eight rebounds to go with 13 points. Kevin Miller and Cameron Hildreth both scored 14.
Lynn Kidd and Hunter Cattoor both scored 14 to lead the Hokies (9-4, 1-1). Tyler Nickel added 11 points off the bench.
Reid had nine points and Miller, Carr and Sallis all scored eight as Wake Forest used a balanced attack to take a 44-24 lead into halftime. Virginia Tech shot just 37.5% in the first half and missed all five of its 3-point attempts.
Despite the loss, Virginia Tech leads the all-time series 38-34. The Hokies beat Louisville 75-68 on Dec. 3 in an early conference matchup.
Wake Forest, which did not lose during a seven-game homestand, hits the road to play Boston College on Tuesday. Virginia Tech travels to play Florida State on Saturday.
No. 16 Duke 106, Queens 69
DURHAM — Jared McCain scored a season-high 24 points and No. 16 Duke beat Queens 106-69 on Saturday.
Kyle Filipowski added 19 points to go with a career-high five blocked shots for Duke (9-3), which has won four games in a row. The freshman McCain scored 21 or more points in three of those games.
“It feels really nice to be getting back and just building off each game,” McCain said. “College basketball, especially as a freshman, is full of ups and downs.”
McCain shot 9 for 14 from the field, including 4 of 9 on 3-pointers.
“Jared is a unique player,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “I love how ready he was to shoot. When he’s going, it adds another dimension.”
Caleb Foster had 13 points and Mark Mitchell added 10 points and eight rebounds for the Blue Devils.
Deyton Albury scored 23 points for Queens (6-9), which lost to a nationally ranked Atlantic Coast Conference team on the road for the second game in a row after last week’s 30-point setback at Clemson. Jaxon Pollard had 10 points.
“I thought there was moments where we really competed and put it all on the line,” Queens coach Grant Leonard said. “I thought there were moments we looked really good. We’ve just got to clean it up.”
Blue Devils guard Tyrese Proctor played for the first time in four weeks after sustaining an ankle injury, entering off the bench in the first half. His 3-pointer in the second half pushed Duke to a 67-44 lead and he ended up with nine points and four assists.
“I’m close to (full strength),” said Proctor, who started the first eight games. “I was very happy with how I felt.”
Proctor played 18 minutes, which was three more than Scheyer expected.
“I thought he played really efficiently,” Scheyer said. “You have to get back out there at some time. There’s going to be rust no matter what. We felt like this was an important step for him.”
McCain had 17 first-half points as the Blue Devils led 46-33 at halftime in their highest-scoring first half of the season. Duke had its first 100-point game in Scheyer’s two seasons as coach.
Queens visits Kennesaw State next Saturday, while Duke hosts Syracuse on Tuesday night.
Western Carolina 90, King (TN) 62
CULLOWHEE — Vonterius Woolbright had 23 points in Western Carolina’s 90-62 win over King (TN) on Saturday night.
Woolbright also added 10 rebounds for the Catamounts (11-2). Tre Jackson scored 20 points and added three steals. DJ Campbell went 8 of 11 from the field to finish with 16 points.
Mikhail Pocknett led the Tornados in scoring, finishing with 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals. King (TN) also got 14 points from Seth Cullen. In addition, Kenny Turner finished with nine points and 13 rebounds.
Davidson 72, Ohio 69
CLEVELAND — Reed Bailey and Grant Huffman scored 15 points apiece to lead Davidson over Ohio 72-69 on Saturday.
Bailey and Huffman both had six rebounds for the Wildcats (10-3). Connor Kochera added 14 points while adding seven rebounds. It was the seventh straight victory for the Wildcats.
AJ Clayton led the Bobcats (6-6) in scoring, finishing with 13 points, six rebounds, two steals and four blocks. Ohio also got 12 points and seven assists from Jaylin Hunter. Shereef Mitchell also had 11 points.
Appalachian State 67, UL Monroe 55
BOONE — Donovan Gregory’s 17 points helped Appalachian State defeat UL Monroe 67-55 on Saturday.
Gregory also had six rebounds for the Mountaineers (10-3). Tre’Von Spillers scored 16 points and added nine rebounds and three blocks. Justin Abson had 13 points.
The Warhawks (4-7) were led by Nika Metskhvarishvili, who recorded 16 points and nine rebounds. UL Monroe also got 10 points from Jacob Wilson. In addition, Tyreese Watson had eight points, five rebounds and four assists.
High Point 90, Bellarmine 85
HIGH POINT — Kimani Hamilton’s 23 points helped High Point defeat Bellarmine 90-85 on Saturday night.
Hamilton had six rebounds and three steals for the Panthers (11-4). Duke Miles scored 16 points, and Abdoulaye Thiam had 14.
The Knights (4-11) were led by Ben Johnson, who posted 32 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Peter Suder added 18 points, six rebounds and six assists for Bellarmine. In addition, Alec Pfriem had 15 points and two steals.
VCU 87, Gardner-Webb 73
RICHMOND, Va. — Sean Bairstow’s 22 points helped VCU defeat Gardner-Webb 87-73 on Saturday.
Bairstow also had seven rebounds and five assists for the Rams (8-5). Joe Bamisile added 21 points, and Max Shulga finished with 17 points and shot 5 for 7 from beyond the arc.
Quest Aldridge led the Runnin’ Bulldogs (5-10) in scoring, finishing with 13 points and four assists. Ademide Badmus added 12 points for Gardner-Webb. Lucas Stieber also had 11 points and six rebounds.
George Mason 94, North Carolina A&T 69
FAIRFAX, Fa. — Keyshawn Hall had 18 points in George Mason’s 94-69 win over North Carolina A&T on Saturday.
Hall also had seven rebounds for the Patriots (11-2). Darius Maddox added 15 and five rebounds. Ronald Polite had 15.
Landon Glasper led the Aggies (2-11) in scoring, finishing with 17 points. Jeremy Robinson added 14 points for N.C. A&T. In addition, Uchenna Kellman-Nicholes had 11 points.
Saint Francis (PA) 78, Campbell 76
LORETTO, Pa. — Carlos Lopez Jr. had 22 points in Saint Francis (PA)’s 78-76 victory against Campbell on Saturday night.
Lopez was 6 of 9 shooting, including 6 for 7 from 3-point range, for the Red Flash (5-8). Cam Gregory scored 18 points, and Aaron Talbert finished with 12 points and eight assists.
Jasin Sinani led the Fighting Camels (6-7, Colonial Athletic Association) in scoring, finishing with 20 points. Anthony Dell’Orso added 12 points for Campbell. Broc Bidwell also had 11 points.
Arkansas 106, UNC Wilmington 90
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Keyon Menifield Jr. scored a career-high 32 points, four teammates also reached double digits, and Arkansas defeated UNC Wilmington 106-90 on Saturday.
Menifield, a sophomore playing in just his third game since transferring from Washington, made 8 of 14 shots with three 3-pointers. He had five assists and four rebounds.
UNC Wilmington, already with a win over an opponent from the SEC this season — 80-73 at Kentucky — trailed by only six at halftime and kept pace with Arkansas early in the second half. The Seahawks were within four points with 15½ minutes remaining, but Arkansas scored 14 points in the next four minutes to take a 73-58 lead.
The Seahawks scored seven straight points — five on free throws — to get within 90-80 with 1:53 remaining. Menifield then made a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer to put the Razorbacks back up by 15.
Tramon Mark scored 18 points, Jalen Graham 16, Davonte Davis 14 and Trevon Brazile 12 for Arkansas (9-4). Davis had six assists and six rebounds. Brazile and Mark fouled out.
Reserve forward Trazarien White scored 28 points, Shykeim Phillips 25 and KJ Jenkins 10 for the Seahawks (9-3).
The Seahawks led 26-20 after a 3-pointer by Donovan Newby with 9½ minutes left in the first half. Arkansas then took the lead with a 7-0 run capped off by Brazile’s alley-oop dunk off a pass from Menifield. There were four more lead changes and two ties before Menifield scored the Razorbacks’ final 11 points of the half to lead 48-42 at the break.
Arkansas will open SEC play with a home game against Auburn on Saturday.
The Seahawks open the Coastal Athletic Association season with a game at Drexel on Thursday.
