Will Baker's 23 propel LSU past Wake Forest in Charleston

Field Level Media|published: Sun 19th November, 17:58 2023

Nov 19, 2023; Charleston, SC, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Cameron Hildreth (2) drives the ball around LSU Tigers forward Will Baker (9) in the first half at TD Arena. credits: David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports

Will Baker scored a game-high 23 points to help lead LSU to an 86-80 overtime win against Wake Forest in the fifth-place game of the Charleston Classic, in Charleston, South Carolina on Sunday. Jordan Wright added 15 points and 9 rebounds for the Tigers, who held off a Demon Deacon rally in each team's first overtime game of the season.

Gonzaga transfer Hunter Sallis paced Wake Forest with 22 points, 16 after halftime, on 9-for-16 shooting. Kevin Miller poured in 19 for the Demon Deacons, whose first lead came with 4:02 remaining in overtime on a Miller layup that made it 76-74.

LSU's Tyrell Ward hit a 3-pointer on the next possession to give the lead back to LSU, and the Tigers wouldn't trail again as Jalen Reed would connect on two free throws and then a layup with 41 seconds left that gave LSU an 83-80 advantage, and eventually the victory.

In regulation, Wake Forest freshman Marquis Marion dunked with 2:09 remaining to cut the LSU lead to 69-68.

Reed then connected on two free throws to extend the Tiger lead to three with 61 seconds left.

After Wright made 1-of-2 free throws on the next Tiger possession, Wake Forest's Andrew Carr rolled in a layup that made the score LSU 72-70 with 26 seconds left.

Wright then missed a pair of free throws, and Carr, who finished with 17 points, dunked the game-tying basket with 16 seconds left.

Reed missed a contested layup at the buzzer, which sent the game to overtime.

Wake Forest shot 46.7% from the field and outshot LSU, who shot just 40.8% from the field. Despite the poor shooting, LSU held an advantage in offensive rebounding, at 18-9.

Baker led LSU with 14 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the field in the first half en route to a 46-36 lead at halftime. The Tigers led by as many as 14, after a pair of free throws from Derek Fountain with 6:30 remaining.

Cameron Hildreth paced the Demon Deacons with 16 of his 18 points in the first, including the final 8 Wake Forest points of the half.

—Field Level Media

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