Nate Calmese helps Wake Forest edge Virginia Tech

Field Level Media|published: Sat 3rd January, 15:02 2026

NCAA Basketball: Virginia Tech at Wake Forest

Jan 3, 2026; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Nate Calmese (1) handles the ball defended by Virginia Tech Hokies guard Ben Hammond (3) during the first half at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Nate Calmese made a step-back 3-pointer with 6.5 seconds left, and Wake Forest held on for an 81-78 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C.

After Neo Avdalas hit two free throws for Virginia Tech with five seconds left, Calmese added two for Wake Forest with three seconds remaining to wrap it up.

Calmese finished with 25 points and seven assists. Tre'Von Spillers scored nine of his 15 points in the final 4:05 as the Demon Deacons (10-5, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) snapped their two-game losing streak and ended the Hokies' six-game winning streak.

Juke Harris added 15 points for Wake Forest, which rebounded after scoring its season-low totals in the previous two games.

Jailen Bedford scored 25 points for Virginia Tech (12-3, 1-1), and Amani Hansberry provided 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Hokies, who showed the effects of a grueling triple-overtime victory Wednesday against No. 21 Virginia.

Virginia Tech committed a season-high 19 turnovers on Saturday, including 14 in the first half. The Hokies made 47.2% of their shots from the floor for the game, including 10 of 30 (33.3%) from beyond the arc.

The Demon Deacons hit 44.8% overall and made 7 of 24 (29.2%) from long distance. Wake Forest took its biggest lead of the second half, 58-50, midway through the period when Sebastian Akins made a jumper.

Virginia Tech responded, however, with a 12-point spree, which included wing 3-pointers from Bedford and Hansberry, and put the Hokies in the lead for the first time, 62-58, with 7:21 left.

But the Demon Deacons were efficient offensively in the final seven minutes, as they scored 23 points. After Christian Gurdak scored on a putback with 49 seconds left to tie it at 76-76, Calmese delivered his clutch 3-pointer from near the top of the key to make it 79-76.

It was an ugly start for Virginia Tech, which missed its first six shots and committed six turnovers in the first 5:48, allowing Wake Forest to race to a 12-2 lead. But Bedford responded by scoring half the points in a 10-0 burst as the Hokies tied it 14-all, before the Demon Deacons retaliated with an own eight-point spree.

It was triggered by a corner 3 from Myles Colvin, who finished with seven points and eight rebounds.

--Field Level Media

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