Wake Forest reserve Trent Strickland scored all nine of his points over the final nine minutes as the No. 6-ranked Demon Deacons dodged upset-minded Temple to pull out a 67-64 victory Monday night in Philadelphia.
It’s usually Chris Paul, Eric Williams or Justin Gray who draws the attention for Wake.
But with Paul and Williams benched for the opening four minutes for being two minutes late for the bus on the way to the game, it was Strickland who heard the praise.
“I don’t think we win the game without Trent Strickland,” Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser said.
Wake Forest clinched it by going 5-for-6 from the free throw line over the final two minutes. Williams had 17 points for the Demon Deacons. Gray added 15. Paul finished with nine points and eight assists.
Mardy Collins had a season-high 25 points for Temple (3-5). The Owls had a chance to tie the game, but Dustin Salisbery’s three-point attempt hit the rim with one second to play.
White leaves UConn program
Connecticut sophomore forward Marcus White has left the basketball program and will leave school when the semester ends.
“We wish Marcus the best in whatever he decides to do in the future,” coach Jim Calhoun said Monday.
White, a Chicago native who starred at Young, played in 32 games in three years with the Huskies. He was averaging 3.7 points and five rebounds. White underwent off-season surgery to repair a bulging disc in his back.
RESULTS, SYNOPSIS
#20 Miss. State 74 at New Orleans 59
Shane Power 17 pts as Bulldogs (8-2) extended road win streak to 13. Lawrence Roberts, Jamall Edmondson 14 pts each for Miss. State. Bo McCalebb’s 16 pts led New Orleans.
McNeese St. 79 at LSU 82
Brandon Bass scored 27 pts and LSU (5-1) used 21-pt run at end of 1st half, beginning of 2nd to hold off Cowboys (3-3). Edward Garriet 3-pointer for McNeese hit rim as time expired.
