DESTIN, Fla. (AP) — Alondes Williams scored seven of his game-high 24 points in overtime and Wake Forest held off Oregon State, 80-77 Friday night to advance to the championship game of the Emerald Coast Classic.
The Demon Deacons have won six straight games to start the season, their best start since 2008-09. They will face LSU in the tournament championship game Saturday.
Wake Forest came into the game having shot 50% or better in five straight games and knocked down 54.5% in the first half against the Beavers to build a 19-point lead at the break, 48-29. The Demon Deacons led by 20, 55-35 after Jake Laravia scored on a fast break with 16:06 left.
And then the Deacons went cold from the field, shooting just 28% in the second half. Oregon State roared back, taking the lead with five minutes left on a jump hook in the lane by Rodrigue Andela. Williams converted two free throws and scored from underneath the basket to put Wake Forest up, 69-67 with 1:10 left but Gianni Hunt dunked with 53 seconds left to pull the Beavers even and force the extra period.
Williams drove for a layup with 2:16 left to put the Deacons on top, 76-75, and Laravia extended the lead with a driving layup. Williams hit the front end of a one-and-one to make it 79-77 and Laravia pulled down the offensive rebound on his missed second attempt.
Jarod Lucas missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer for Oregon State.
Laravia finished with 17 points and Daivien Williamson added 14 for Wake Forest.
Andela scored 16 points to lead the Beavers. Hunt added 11 and Dexter Akanno and Warith Alatishe each added 10.
The Beavers, who won the Pac-12 Tournament and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, have now lost five straight following a season-opening win over Portland State, their last three by a total of five points.
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