By By The Associated Press
WINSTON-SALEM — Ishmael Smith and C.J. Harris scored 16 points apiece to help Wake Forest cruised to 76-52 win over Winston-Salem State on Tuesday night.
Al-Farouq Aminu and Ari Stewart added 13 points each for the Demon Deacons (4-0), who led by as many as 29 points in the second half in beating their smaller in-city rival for the fourth straight year.
Brian Fisher scored 12 points and Andrew Jackson added 11 for the Rams (1-4), who shot just 32.2 percent from the field.
Wake Forest shot 52.6 percent and used its size advantage inside to outscore Winston-Salem State 44-18 in the paint.
Still, the Rams hung with their bigger rival through the first 7 minutes of the first half, leading twice and tying the score twice. But Winston-Salem State would falter, shooting just 26.5 percent in the half, and Wake Forest pulled ahead to lead by as many as 17 points.
The Rams last led at 13-12 on Wells’ 3-point play with 14:12 remaining. After David Weaver’s 3-pointer put the Demon Deacons back in front, Lamar Monger’s two free throws tied the score at 15-15 with 12:42 left.
But Wake Forest — which shot 53.6 percent from the field in the half — took command of the game right after that, scoring 16 unanswered points to go ahead by double digits. L.D. Williams’ free throw with 7:21 left capped the run and gave the Demon Deacons a 31-15 lead.
Wake Forest took its biggest lead later in the half, going ahead 36-19 on Harris’ 3-pointer from the corner with 4:46 to play, before taking a 41-25 lead into the halftime break.
The Demon Deacons began to stretch their lead in the second half, going ahead by 29 points twice, the last at 74-45 on a Stewart fast-break dunk with 3:24 remaining.