Tre'Von Spillers posts double-double as Wake Forest outlasts Minnesota

Field Level Media|published: Fri 29th November, 15:32 2024

NCAA Basketball: ESPN Events Invitational-Third Place Minnesota at Wake Forest

Nov 29, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Efton Reid III (4) is guarded by Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Parker Fox (23) in the first half at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Tre'Von Spillers scored 18 points and grabbed 16 rebounds Friday as Wake Forest beat Minnesota 57-51 to earn third place in the ESPN Events Invitational in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Cameron Hildreth added 13 points for the Demon Deacons (7-2), including a driving reverse layup with 14 seconds left that gave them a 56-51 lead. Efton Reid chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds.

Wake Forest won despite getting next to nothing from its leading scorer, Hunter Sallis (18.4 points per game). He hit only 1 of 11 shots, missed all five of his 3-point attempts and finished with four points. But the Deacons, thanks to Spillers, dominated the boards 42-27.

Lu'Cye Patterson scored 12 points for the Golden Gophers (5-3) and reserve Isaac Asuma added 11. Leading scorer Dawson Garcia, who was averaging 20.1 ppg, made only 3 of 12 shots and managed eight points with five rebounds.

Garcia scored Minnesota's last points on a short jumper with 2:34 left that made it 54-51 but missed an open 3-pointer on the team's next possession. The Gophers had two other chances to draw within one or tie the game, but Spillers blocked Patterson's layup and Garcia turned it over in the lane.

It took Minnesota just over 3 1/2 minutes to score, but once it did, it got on a roll. A 16-6 run, capped by Garcia's free throw with 10:40 left in the half, gave the Golden Gophers a 16-10 lead. Minnesota didn't commit its first turnover until the 9:22 mark of the first half.

Wake Forest whittled the deficit by holding Minnesota without a point for more than three minutes and eventually regained the lead at the 5:43 mark when Ty-Laur Johnson converted a layup for a 21-19 advantage.

The game went back and forth for the half's remainder with the Gophers having the last say, courtesy of Patterson. His layup with two seconds on the clock allowed them to hit the locker room with a 29-27 edge.

Minnesota could have taken a bigger lead into the break but made just 3 of 9 free throws.

--Field Level Media