Deacs End Losing Spell With ACC Tournament Looming

Wake Forest needed a win, and got one in style.

Wake Forest's Milan Brown drives to the basket against the SMU Mustangs, Feb. 5, 2026. | Parker Neal/Wake Forest On SI

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (13–11, 3–9 ACC) snapped an eight-game losing streak in Dallas, TX, with a 70-65 victory over the SMU Mustangs (8–15, 1–10 ACC). Sophomore Aurora Sørbye earned her way back to the spotlight, and freshman phenom Milan Brown continued her reign of excellence.

The Deacs Steadied the Mustangs

Sophomore guard Aurora Sørbye attempts a foul shot against the SMU Mustangs, Feb. 5, 2026 | Parker Neal/Wake Forest On SI

The Demon Deacons are no strangers to close games, and their matchup with the Mustangs was no different. At halftime, the score was 30 -30, but going into the fourth quarter, SMU had a 50–45 advantage.

However, even without headliner-maker Grace Oliver, the Deacs pulled away from the Mustangs. Efficiency has been the name of the game this season. Wake Forest shot 40.0% from three-point land and assisted on 17 of 25 baskets (68.0%). On the season, the Demon Deacons have assisted on 67.2% of their made baskets—the highest mark in the Megan Gebbia era.

We needed this one, and I’m so happy we are going home with a win. We got over the hump with late-game situations after so many close calls. Now we need to keep building on this with some confidence. It’s hard to win on the road in this league, no matter who we’re playing, and I can’t overstate how big this is for us in February.

Head Coach Megan Gebbia

B̶a̶t̶m̶a̶n̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶R̶o̶b̶i̶n̶ Brown and Sørbye

Freshman guard Milan Brown (0) attempts a floater against the SMU Mustangs, Feb. 5, 2026. | Parker Neal/Wake Forest On SI

The Demon Deacons had three players in double figures on Thursday night. Aurora Sørbye tallied a career-high 18 points, shooting 6-of-8 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. The Norwegian tied her career-high field goal percentage when attempting six or more shots.

Milan Brown continued her streak of dominance in Dallas, posting 15 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, and a block—all while shooting 6-of-9 from the floor. This marks her third consecutive double-double of the season (fourth overall) and fourth straight game scoring in double figures.

To round out the trifecta, Caitlyn Jones notched 16 points, which is the eighth time she has hit double digits in the last nine games. The Freshman out of Rolesville, NC, also recorded 4 assists and shot 5-of-8 from the field.

With just six games left to go, Wake Forest is positioned as the 14th seed in the ACC Tournament. Next up, the Demon Deacons have a home date with the No. 25 North Carolina Tar Heels, who have won their last six games. Then they follow it up with a road game against sixth-ranked Louisville on Feb. 12.