WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After two weeks on the road, the Wake Forest women’s basketball team (8-15, 1-11 ACC) returns to Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Thursday night to face No. 13 Duke (19-5, 10-2 ACC).
- Date: Thursday, Feb. 15
- Tip-Off: 6:00 PM ET
- Venue: LJVM Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC
- Broadcast: ACC Network Extra
- Live Audio: GoDeacs.com/Watch
- Live Stats: Available here
Wake Forest Aims for Upset Over Ranked Opponent
The Demon Deacons are searching for their first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 24 Missouri State on Nov. 29, 2020.
- Demeara Hinds is coming off back-to-back strong performances, scoring 18 points, 13 rebounds vs. Florida State and 14 points vs. Syracuse.
- Wake Forest’s defensive strength ranks 7th in the ACC and top 150 nationally, allowing just 64.5 points per game.
- The Deacs also rank top 90 in the nation in steals per game (9.3).
Scouting No. 13 Duke
The Blue Devils enter the game riding a two-game winning streak, with dominant victories over Miami and Clemson by an average margin of 30 points.
- Road struggles: Duke is just 6-5 away from home this season.
- Bench depth: Leads the ACC and ranks 2nd nationally in bench points per game (33.0).
- Defensive pressure: ACC leader in turnovers forced (21.04 per game).
- Freshman standout: Toby Fournier leads Duke’s scoring off the bench (13.4 PPG).
Wake Forest Players to Watch
Rylie Theuerkauf – Hot Streak Continues
- Scored a career-high 25 points vs. No. 17 NC State, marking the most by a Deacon since Feb. 25, 2024.
- Has 89 points over the last five games and leads the team with 11.1 PPG.
Elise Williams – Climbing Wake Forest’s All-Time Scoring List
Williams recently surpassed 1,281 career points, moving into 15th place on Wake Forest’s all-time scoring list.
Needs 28 points to pass Lakevia Boykin (1,309 points) for 14th place.
Malaya Cowles – Dominant Home Shooting
- Ranks 7th in program history with a 57.5% field goal percentage this season.
- Shooting 53.0% at LJVM Coliseum, including:
- 77.8% vs. Queens (7-of-9 FG)
- 87.5% vs. Gardner-Webb (7-of-8 FG)
- 88.9% vs. Campbell (8-of-9 FG)
Key Team Stats & Trends
Ball Movement & Assists
- 59.9% of Wake Forest’s made baskets have been assisted this season.
- Against Louisville, the Deacs had a season-high 21 assists on 27 made baskets (78%).
- Elise Williams has moved into 8th place in Wake Forest’s all-time assist leaders (372 career assists).
Defensive Pressure & Turnovers
- Wake Forest has forced double-digit turnovers in 63 of the last 65 games.
- Forced 20+ turnovers in six games this season, including:
- 28 turnovers vs. Cal – Most forced in a single game this year.
- 21 turnovers vs. Louisville – Tied Louisville’s season high.
Free Throw Efficiency
- Wake Forest shot 75% or better from the free-throw line in 11 of 23 games this season.
- Elise Williams ranks 7th in program history in career free-throw percentage (.779).
- Demeara Hinds has improved her free-throw shooting from 37.3% to 61.3% this season.
Three-Point Shooting
- The Deacs have hit 131 three-pointers this season, averaging 5.7 per game.
- Elise Williams ranks 7th in Wake Forest history in career three-pointers made (144).
Series History: Wake Forest vs. Duke
- All-Time Series: Duke leads 70-20
- Last Meeting: Feb. 8, 2024 – Duke won 69-46
- Last Home Game vs. Duke: Wake Forest held Duke to just 6 first-quarter points, marking their fewest points allowed in a quarter this season.
Looking Ahead
Upcoming Games
- Feb. 18: at No. 20 Georgia Tech (ACC Network)
- Feb. 22: vs. Virginia Tech (LJVM Coliseum)
The Demon Deacons are aiming to pull off a major upset against No. 13 Duke while looking to secure their second ACC win of the season.
