Wake Forest wasted no time taking control Tuesday night at the Joel, jumping on Charleston Southern early and never really letting the game slip away. By the end of it, the Demon Deacons had five players in double figures and plenty to feel good about in a home win that showed off both balance and activity.
The scoring spread was led by the freshman twins Gallagher and Gavin Placide, who teamed up for 26 points and 16 rebounds. Kevair Kennedy added 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting and also handed out two assists.
Isaac Carr matched him with 15 points of his own, giving Wake a solid bounce-back showing after Vanderbilt. Jamari McDowell kept working his way into the mix as well, finishing with 11 points.
What stood out most was how much cleaner Wake looked from deep. After struggling from three against Vanderbilt, the Deacs found a much better rhythm on Tuesday. They hit 10 shots from beyond the arc and shot 39% as a team, with seven different players connecting from long range.
That kind of spread-out production is exactly what helps a team stretch a defense. The Placide brothers were especially efficient, combining to go 4-for-5 from three. If that becomes a regular piece of Wake’s offense, it gives the Deacs another layer to work with.
Defensively, Wake also kept the pressure on. The Deacs forced 23 turnovers and turned those mistakes into 31 points, making Charleston Southern pay for every loose possession. Twelve of those turnovers came via steals, a sign of how active the guards were in creating pressure and disrupting the Buccaneers’ offense.
Wake also protected the rim well, blocking three shots in the paint. Through three games, the defense has been one of the clearer positives for this team, and Tuesday fit that pattern again.
The win opened a four-game homestand for the Deacs, who are back at the Joel on Saturday at 4 pm against Southern Utah. It’s a useful stretch for Wake to keep ironing out details before heading to the Bahamas over Thanksgiving for the Battle 4 Atlantis.