Catawba Indians vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons Box Score on Dec 31, 2020

Daivien Williamson scored 15 points and Isaiah Mucius added 11 points and key late free throws as Wake Forest played for the first time in more than a month Thursday defeating Division II Catawba 72-60 at home in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Jahcobi Neath had 10 points for Wake Forest before fouling out with 3:03 remaining.

Wake Forest is 3-0 for only the fourth time in an 11-season span.

Mucius made a pair of free throws with 1:40 remaining and another foul shot with 1:27 left to extend the lead to 65-58. He made two more free throws with 59 seconds remaining for a 67-61 advantage.

After playing twice across the first three days of the season, the Demon Deacons put the program on pause amid a COVID-19 outbreak. They last played Nov. 27, with five games either postponed or canceled.

The Demon Deacons are set for their Atlantic Coast Conference opener Sunday night at Georgia Tech, so first-year coach Steve Forbes has had an abbreviated look at his team before a key part of the season begins.

The Demon Deacons, who only have played home games so far, have won eight straight nonconference games at Lawrence Joel Coliseum dating to last season.

Wake Forest led just 32-30 at halftime and later held a 62-51 lead with just over five minutes remaining, but it wasn't easy finishing off the Indians.

Catawba's Terrence Whitfield scored 16 points, including a 3-pointer with 1:16 to play that cut the gap to 65-61. Larry Mcleod added 14 points, Ben Bowen had 12 points and Taqwain Drummond added 10 points for the Indians.

The Demon Deacons shots just 26.1 percent (6 of 23) on 3-pointers and committed 16 turnovers.

Catawba, which was picked fifth in the South Atlantic Conference preseason poll, entered the game with a 2-3 record. The game was listed as an exhibition for the Indians, so it dis not count on their overall record.

--Field Level Media